Kathirikai Kara Kuzhambu or Spicy Brinjal Curry is most popular dish in Tamilnadu. This dish is prepared by simmering the sautéed brinjal in a tangy tamarind-tomato curry with freshly grounded masala.
I love tamarind based gravies so much. Kara Kuzhambu is one of our favorite lunch time dishes. This kuzhambu is served in most of the hotels in Tamilnadu, alongside with sambar, rasam and buttermilk. It stays good for a week under refrigeration, if coconut is skipped.
HOW TO MAKE KATHIRIKAI KARA KUZHAMBU?
Soak tamarind in a cup of hot water and allow to sit for 20 minutes.
In a pan add sesame oil and add all the ingreduents under masala one by one and saute well.
Allow it to cool completely and grind to a smooth paste
Fry the sliced brinjal in a tbsp of oil for 5 minutes.
In a heavy bottom pan, add oil, mustard, fenugreek seeds and let them pop.
Add the garlic, curry leaves, red chilli and small onion. Saute for 2-3 minutes, until translucent.
Add chopped tomato and salt, cook till tomato turns mushy.
Now add the fried brinjal and sambhar powder. Mix everything well.
Add the grinded paste and tamarind water. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
Serve hot with rice and appalam for wholesome meal.
TIPS FOR KATHIRIKAI KHARA KUZHAMBU RECIPE
- Use sesame oil only, which gives a nice taste and add it generously.
- Okra, drumstick, tindora can be used instead of brinjal.
- Adjust the consistency according to your preference.
- The color of the kuzhambu depends on the chilli and chilli powder you use
- If you don’t have tamarind paste, soak small lemon sized tamarind in hot water and extract juice
- You can use regular big red onion instead of shallots .
- If you are using tangy tomatoes adjust the tamarind accordingly
- If you have ‘Thalippu vadagam‘ in hand, don’t skip to add, it gives for more flavor.
- For longer shelf life, skip coconut in the grinding part.
- Even 1 tsp of fennel seeds can be used in grinding, which lends a hotel style kara kuzhambu.
WHAT KIND OF VEGETABLES SHOULD I USE?
You can use Brinjal, Drumstick, Tindora, Lady Fingers, Taro Root. If you are out of veggies, sauté Vathal and add them at the end.
HOW TO STORE KARA KUZHAMBU?
Tamarind based Kuzhambu variety generally stays good for 3-4 days but since we added coconut for this Kuzhambu it won’t stays good not more than 2 days in refridgete
HOW TO SERVE THIS KARA KUZHAMBU?
This kara kuzhambu can be served with white rice, sambhar, appalam for a wholesome meal.
Other Kuzhambu recipes you might like,
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Kathirikkai Kara Kuzhambu
Ingredients
To make masala:
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp pepper
- few curry leaves
- 2-3 dry red chilli
- 1/4 cup small onions
- 2 tbsp coconut grated
- 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder
To make kuzhambu:
- 5-6 brinjal slitted or sliced
- 2-3 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1/4 cup small onions chopped
- few curry leaves
- 2 dry red chilli
- 2 tbsp garlic chopped
- 1 tomato chopped
- salt to taste
- 1 tbsp sambhar powder
- 1 cup tamarind water from lemon-sized tamarind
Instructions
- Soak tamarind in a cup of hot water and allow to sit for 20 minutes.
- In a pan add sesame oil and add all the ingreduents under masala one by one and saute well.
- Allow it to cool completely and grind to a smooth paste
- Fry the sliced brinjal in a tbsp of oil for 5 minutes.
- In a heavy bottom pan, add oil, mustard, fenugreek seeds and let them pop.
- Add the garlic, curry leaves, red chilli and small onion. Saute for 2-3 minutes, until translucent.
- Add chopped tomato and salt, cook till tomato turns mushy.
- Now add the fried brinjal and sambhar powder. Mix everything well.
- Add the grinded paste and tamarind water. Adjust the consistency by adding water. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Serve hot with rice and appalam for wholesome meal.
Notes
- Use sesame oil only, which gives a nice taste and add it generously.
- Okra, drumstick, tindora can be used instead of brinjal. Adjust the consistency according to your perference.
- The color of the kuzhambu depends on the chilli and chilli powder you use
- If you don’t have tamarind paste, soak small lemon sized tamarind in hot water and extract juice
- You can use regular big red onion instead of shallots .
- If you are using tangy tomatoes adjust the tamarind accordingly
- If you have ‘Thalippu vadagam‘ in hand, don’t skip to add, it gives for more flavour.
- For longer shelf life, skip coconut in the grinding part.
- Even 1 tsp of fennel seeds can be used in grinding, which lends a hotel style kara kuzhambu.
