Simple Lunch

Kathirika Kosthu, Valli Payar Mezhukkupuratti, Mulaku Kondattam

Brinjal… a vile veg in my childhood days… should thank my friend who forced me to eat veggies in hostel life and she guaranteed veggies don’t kill people. Later I noticed amma’s kathirika gosthu/enna kathirika ranks well in pappa’s favorite curries and I tried her inimitable recipe in male’. Huby who had the same approach towards brinjal gave a ‘Like’ on Gosthu and included brinjal in our shopping list. The peculiarity is sesame oil used instead of coconut oil to fry brinjal.

Kathirika Gosthu/ kathirika kosthu/Brinjal curry

Ingredients:

Brinjal/Egg plant/kathirika – 1 big size, chopped (diamond shape)

Turkey berry/sundakka – 1 tbsp (dried)

Tamarind – small gooseberry size

Fenugreek powder – 2 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 tbsp

Chilli powder – 1 tsp

Sambar powder – 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Curry leaves

To temper

Mustard – 1 tsp

Asafoetida* – turkey berry size.

Sesame oil - as required

Method:

Heat oil in a wok/cheenachutty – temper mustard, curry leaves and asafoetida resin. Toss both sides of asafoetida to fry all sides, keep aside to add later. Add chopped brinjal to it. Lower the flame and sprinkle salt water and cook for few minutes. Toss the other side and cook for another few minutes to get fried sides of brinjal.

Fry sundakka in oil and mix with fried brinjal. Squeeze tamarind juice and keep aside.

Now heat fenugreek powder, coriander powder on low flame, then add chilli powder, sambar powder, fried asafoetida - mix well with the fried brinjal and add tamarind juice (2 tsp), salt to it.

Close the lid and cook for few minutes, serve hot with rice and mulaku kondattam.

Note:

•  *asafoetida used here is asafoetida resin the block form. 
• Add 2 tbsp of water with tamarind and salt to cook well. 
• Add small piece of jaggery will multiplies the taste.

Valli payar mezhukkupuratti /Long beans stir fry

Recently had long beans in my terrace garden and repeatedly having valli payar mizhukku puratti in our lunch menu. 

Ingredients:

Valli payar/Long beans - 1 bunch, medium size

Green chillies – 1 sliced length wise

Oil – to fry

Pepper – 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Method:

Chop valli payar/long beans into 2 inch long pieces. Heat oil (coconut oil) in a frying pan, add the chopped beans, green chillies and mix well. Sprinkle salt water, toss both sides, cover and cook well. After few minutes lower the flame and stir fry until beans is cooked. Switch off the flame and add pepper powder to it.

Enjoy this combination!