Kathirikai Podi Curry / Brinjal Podi Curry / Eggplant Podi Curry

Today's recipe is one of my most favorite side dish for rice. Yes, its brinjal podi curry which we call as Kathirikai podi curry in Tamil. Its a no onion, no garlic recipe. Its a popular poriyal recipe in Tamil nadu. This is my mom’s special recipe too. It goes well with More kuzhambu and Rasam rice. I can have with plain rice as well. The flavor of freshly ground spice powder coated over the perfectly cooked and roasted brinjal make this dish loved ny everyone. Friends, you too try this kathirikai podi curry recipe and share your feedback with me :) .

INGREDIENTS 

• Small brinjal – 7 nos ( Choose small brinjal for best taste)
• Salt and water – As needed.

To roast & grind :

• Cooking Oil – 1 tsp
• Coriander seeds – 1.5 tsp
• Chana dal – 1 tbsp
• Red chilly – 4 nos (use 3 for less spice)
• Grated coconut – 2 tbsp

To temper:

• Gingely Oil / Sesame oil – 2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp
• Urad dal – 1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves - Few

METHOD :

• Wash and cut each brinjal lengthwise into 4 pieces and soak in water to avoid change of color.
• In a kadai , add a tsp of oil and roast the coriander seeds, chana dal, red chillies till golden in color. Keep the flame low. 
• In the same kadai add the grated coconut and roast for a minute. If you are using coconut pieces, you can roast it along with dals and red chillies. Make sure you don't burn anything. 
• Grind all the roasted items to a coarse powder. ( not too fine or too coarse )
• Now in a kadai add gingely oil , temper the mustards & urad dal . Add the brinjal pieces . Saute till the brinjal is cooked soft but retains the shape. Do not add water, keep the flame low and cover cook the brinjal till its skin shrinks and cooks well. 
• It takes nearly 10 to 15 minutes in very low flame based on the size of brinjal. Cover the kadai with a lid. Open in the middle and stir it whenever needed. Make sure brinjal doesn't get burnt.  
• Lastly add the roasted powder , salt and mix well for few minutes in low to medium flame. Make sure the brinjal pieces don't break. Swicth off the flame.  
• Poriyal is ready to serve hot !!

We enjoyed with my mom’s more kuzhambu :)

NOTE 

As we cook the brinjal , its shrinks in size but the color is retained. My mom makes this curry in other way too.She slit cut the brinjal into 4 pieces , stuff this podi , use lot of oil and saute it till brinjal gets cooked in oil. Since this method consumes more oil and also the color of the brinjal turns black , we avoid making this way. For kids , you can try this method..