Kitchen Tantra

Brinjal Serva:(North Arcot Muslim Style)


Egg-Plant Serva. Kathirikkai Serva. Baingan ka Salan. Kathirikkai Ellu Kuzhambu.

Brinjal serva makes an excellent side dish for Nawabi biriyani/Arcot Biriyani. It tastes rich with this biriyani for sure. It may sound weird 'Brinjal/Eggplants with Biriyani.....but it has unique taste not like usual kuzhambu/curry. Generally they use 'Vellore Mullu Kathirikkai' its nothing but a wild kind of Eggplant/Brinjal.....its in deep violet color, very solid shiny and measures in handfull. Its has thorns and pricky in peduncle part.....its seeds are not obvious, it has definite flavour and taste. It wont disintegrate faster while cooking even if you prolong your cooking time.

Use sesame oil and dark sesame seeds for rich and strong flavour.....try to cook whole Eggplant/brinjal as such .....just slit twice at one end....without breaking its shape.

Ingredients:

Vellore brinjal half kilo(make sure of all in equal size) - slit twice at the bulb end......do not actually cut them....maintain their shape. just trim the peduncle only.
Whole pepper half spoon
Mustard half spoon
Fenugreek seeds half spoon
Cumin seeds half spoon
Curry leaves 3 twigs
Gingili/sesame oil 1 cup
Green chilies 3 slitted
Ginger-garlic paste 1 spoon
Onion paste 1 cup
Tomato puree 2-3 cups
Tamarind paste thick just 1/2 spoon
Black sesame seeds roasted and powdered one cup
Salt
Turmeric powder
Red chili powder.

Preparation:

1. Make 2 slits in brinjal(eggplant)and set it aside in water....because brinjal turns dark when exposed. One can add little salt/lemon juice to the water to avoid the further coloration.

2. Now in a strong bottomed pan pour oil and add the spices one by one...
mustard, cumin, pepper, fenugreek seeds, green chilies and curry leaves.

3. Then add onion and ginger-garlic paste. Fry them till it looses its raw odour . Then followed tomato puree...fry until water content evaporates from them and oil shows up in the top.

4. Now add salt, turmeric, chilly powder and brinjal semi-cook them without adding water later by adding tamarind water. The whole process on low flame and preferably covered. Has the gravy bubbles a lot....it may spoil your stove top.

5. When brinjal is almost cooked add sesame powder and bring it to boil.

6. Garnish with few crisply fried curry leaves.

Iit makes exellent side dish for mughalai biryani...or can be served with any mild pulav.

Labels: Brinjal/ Egg-Plant, Veg Kuzhambu