SUNDAKKAI PORITHA KUZHAMBU / PEA AUBERGINE GRAVY

It is also known as  Devil's Fig, Prickly Nightshade, Shoo-shoo Bush, Wild Eggplant, Pea Eggplant, susumba, boo, terongan, tekokak, berenjena cimarrona, berenjena de gallina, berenjena silvestre, tabacón, pendejera, tomatillo, bâtard balengène, zamorette, friega-platos, sundaikkai (Tamil: சுண்டைக்கா), makhua phuang (Thai: มะเขือพวง)
I learnt this recipe from my aunty (MIL).Most of us use sundakkai vathal in vatha kuzhambu or fry and eat as it is for curd rice.This is a different recipe with fresh sundakkai and i like this very much.U can try this , it doesn’t taste bitter:)

Ingredients
1 cup - 200ml

• Raw Sundakkai– 1 cup
• Moong dal – 1.5 tbsp
• Tamarind – Medium gooseberry size
• Sambar powder – 1- 2 tsp ( u can use any sambar powder )
• Tomato – 1 no (Chopped)
• Turmeric powder – a pinch
• Salt & water – as needed.

To season:

• Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp
• Urad dal – 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves – a sprig
• Oil – 1 tbsp

To Grind:

• Grated coconut – 1/4 cup

Method:

• Wash the sundakkai and remove the stem.Cut into two halves and soak in water so that the color doesn’t change.

• Heat a kadai with 1 tsp of oil  and saute the sundakkai till it turns light greenish white, gets shrunken & slightly reduced in quantity.

• Now Pressure cook the sundakkai along with moong dal and chopped tomato .
• Mean while soak the tamarind in water and extract the juice from it.Add the sambar powder , salt  and a pinch of turmeric powder to it.Keep aside.
• Grind the coconut with water and make it to a paste.Set aside.
• Once the sundakkai and dal gets cooked, add the tamarind extract mixture to it and let it boil for 5 – 7 mins.Add water if necessary.
• Now add the coconut paste and boil for sometime till the gravy becomes thick(should not be too thick like kootu at the same time not too watery .)
• If u feel the water is more, u can add little rice flour/corn flour( 1 tsp) to make it thick.
• Finally, temper with all the items given under “to season”.

Healthy sundakkai poricha kuzhambu is ready to serve.
Mix with plain rice and ghee and accompany with papad /vaddam. It tastes excellent!!