Brinjal Garlic Curry (Poondu Kathirikkai Kulambu)

Ingredients:

• Brinjal – 4 to 5 (small and tender) 
• Garlic – 10
• Tamarind – lime size
  
• Mustard seeds and Urad dal – 1/2 tspn
• Fenugreek seeds – 1/4 tspn
• Dry red chili – 2
• Curry leaves – few
• Onion – 1/2
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tspn
• Chili powder – 1/2 to 1 tspn
• Coriander powder – 2 tspn
• Salt – to taste
• Sesame Oil – as required

Grind and make a fine paste of:

• Coconut – 3 to 4 tspn
• Cashew nuts – 3 to 4

Recipe:

1. Cut each brinjal into 4 pieces. Chop Onion into fine pieces. Soak Tamarind in water and then extract tamarind juice from it. Grind and make a fine paste of Coconut and Cashew nuts. Peel Garlic and Keep all this aside.
2. Heat Oil in a pan. Add Mustard seeds and Urad dal. Once the seeds starts spluttering, add Fenugreek seeds, Red chilies and Curry leaves. Fry this for a minute.
3. Add Onion and Garlic, saute till the Onion turns light brown.
4. Add Brinjal pieces and saute them for 5 minutes.
5. Then add Turmeric powder, Chili powder, Coriander powder and fry till the smell of masala goes.
6. Add Tamarind juice and Salt to it. Keep the stove in medium heat, cook till Brinjal and Garlic is done. If required, add 1 or 2 cups water while cooking.

Goes well with: white rice