Kathirikkai Podi Curry | Brinjal Podi Curry | Podi Kathirikai Recipe
Kathirikkai Podi curry is a quick stir fry made using Brinjal. Its made with freshly prepared spiced powder and often served as a side dish for any meal. Its a dry curry that's made with coarse masala powder and typically served with sambar, rasam or curd rice and also works a side subzi for chapati.
Servings: 4
Equipment
- 1 Stir Fry kadai or Pan
- 1 Mixer / Spice Blender
Ingredients
Dry Roast & Grind
- 5 long Dry Red Chili / Kaintha Milagai
- 1 tbsp Coriander seeds / Dhania / Malli
- 1 tbsp Toor dal / Thuvaram paruppu
- 2 tsp Bengal gram / Channa dal / Kadalai paruppu
- 1 tsp Split Black gram / Urad dal / Ulutham paruppu
- 1/2 tsp Black peppercorns / Milagu
- 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds / Seeragam
- 1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds / Vendhayam
- 1 tsp Copra / dry coconut / kopparai thengai
Saute & Cook
- 300 grams Brinjal / Kathirikkai about 8 small purple or 3 long green brinjal or 1 long purple Chinese eggplant
- 1/4 cup Oil / ennai
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds / kadugu
- 1/4 tsp Asafoetida / perungayam
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder / manjal thool
- 1 sprig Curry leaves / karuveppilai
- 3/4 tsp Salt / uppu
Instructions
Prep
- Wash and slice the brinjals in desired size. Purple brinjals can be quartered and long green or purple varieties can be cut into thick strips. Soak it water until ready to cook to avoid discoloration.
Dry Roast & Grind - Podi / Spice mix
- Heat a pan and start by dry roasting coriander seeds followed by toor dal and channal dal as they take longer to brown compared to other ingredients.
- Once it starts to turn lightly golden add black peppercorn, cumin seeds, fenugreek and dry red chilies.
- Roast until it turns golden brown in color or when the spices start to release its aroma.
- Turn off the heat and let this cool completely.
- Transfer to a mixer or spice blender and grind to make a coarse powder.
- Set this aside or store in air tight jar for future use.
Temper, Saute & Cook
- Heat oil in a pan.
- Temper with mustard seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves. (Asafoetida is optional)
- Once the mustard seeds crackles, add the chopped brinjal pieces. (Strain all the water before adding the brinjal to the pan)
- Stir fry and saute over medium flame adding turmeric powder. The brinjal needs to be fried in that oil for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Reduce the flame to low medium and cover with a lid. Steam the brinjals for 5 minutes.
- Once the brinjal pieces are cooked through to soft but firm stage add the spice mix / podi along with salt.
- Again, stir fry over medium flame until well combined.
- Cook for few minutes or until the curry turns lightly dry and attains a deep golden brown shade.
- Garnish with few curry leaves and turn off the heat.
- Serve hot with rice or roti! Goes well with any south indian main course meal like sambar sadam, rasam or curd rice. Top it over steamed rice and enjoy with a dollop of ghee or sesame oil. It even pairs well as a side suzji for roti or chapati!