Kathirikkai Puli Kuzhambu:

Ingredients:

Brinjal/Eggplant/Vellore Mullu kathirikkai 1/4 kilo
Onion 1 finely chopped
Garlic 12-15 beads crushed
Tomatoes 2 finely chopped
Salt
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Jaggery 1 spoon
Rice flour 1 spoon
Tamarind milk 1 cup
Sesame oil 1/4 cup.

To be Toasted Each Seperately and Ground Togather:

Chana dal 1 spoon
Dry red chilies 6
Fenugreek 1 spoon
Coriander seeds 1 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Curry leaves 1 twig

For Sesonning:

Sesame oil few spoons
Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/4 spoon
Fenugreek seeds 1/4 spoon
Pepper 4
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Curry leaves few
Dry red chilies 3-5.

Method:

Slit brinjal and leave in cold water, until cooking.

In a wide iron wok, heat oil. Add onion, garlic and tomato one by one...in the same order. Fry real good until they are aromatic and without any moisture.

Now add salt, turmeric, chili powder, jaggery, rice flour and spice blend to it. Fry for about 2 minutes.

Add cut brinjals and fry till the oil coats evenly.

Add tamarind water, cover and cook.

When the gravy thickens and oil shows up on top, remove from the heat.

In a seperate pan, heat oil. Crackle all the spices mentioned, run over the gravy prepared. Enjoy with steamed rice.