Katharikkai Kichedi Kuzambu - JFI Eggplant

Eggplants, Katharikkai as called in Tamil Nadu - a Foe turned into Friend. Never used to like them till before marriage. I guess I started appreciating them only when I stepped foot in the US and truly found how difficult it is to get some good old Indian veggies here. It then dawned on me that I was being punished for hating those cute little "eggplant" guys. I started to crazily buy Indian veggies whenever I see a fresh one .. The love for eggplant should have started then. My mom used to cook many varieties of dishes using eggplant. Her stuffed baingan being my favourite. My brother, who was not a big fan of them then, used to pick a big fight with mom whenever she makes them. Well.. gone are those days. There comes a time when everyone realises the goodness in "Eggplants" :) The huge eggplants that one can find here.. well it was not of much use to me until my husband taught me the art of seasoning and deep frying them. Oh my God.. thats pure heaven. The real winner though was my mother in law, who while visiting US taught me this "Kichedi Kuzambu" using the big eggplants that you get here. I never thought I will like Kichedi Kuzambu using katharikkai.. but one has to taste to know. The dish was a huge success and has become a regular at our household.

So, when the JFI event for eggplant was announced, I immedietly knew what to make. The easiest and the simplest.. but doesn't compromise in taste. Now on to the recipe and then off it goes to the "JFI - Eggplant" event hosted by "Sangeeta of Ghar ka khana". Thanks Sangeeta for hosting the event.

Ingredients:

Eggplant - 1 medium sized
Onions - 1 cup
Slit green chillies - 2
Red chilles - 2-3
Curry leaves
Tamarind paste - 1 tsp
Mustard
Urad Dal
Channa Dal
Coriander
Turmeric powder
Hing

Eggplant roasted and ready to be peeled
Mashed eggplant

Method:

• Cut the eggplants into big chunks
• Roast them in a deep tava with 2 tbsps oil on medium high until cooked. The skin should be glossy and wrinkled.
• Take them out and let cool. Once cooled remove the skin and mash the eggplant coarsely.
• In the same tava, heat 1 tbsp of oil.
• Burst mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal and curry leaves.
• Add the mashed eggplant, 1/2 cup water and the tamarind paste.
• Also add turmeric, hing and salt.
• Let boil until raw smell from eggplant disappears.
• Add curry leaves at the end and let simmer for a couple minutes.
• Garnish with coriander.

Note: This can be had with ghee, rice and pappad.

Red, White and Green Poriyal

Green Cabbage is a good source of fiber and folic acid. It is also low in Sodium and is considered a negative calorie food. It has always been one of my favourite veggies so mom never had trouble getting them inside my system. Lucky me, hubby dearest is a big cabbage lover too. Surprisingly enough, both of us like it in the same cooked but crunchy consistency. This recipe just provides that. Also, I added some carrots and peas to the recipe since those are the least used veggies in our home and I am always in the verge of somehow incorporating it in our regular subjis.

Ingredients:

Cabbage - Cut into thin strips (3 cups)
Carrots - Cubed (1 cup)
Peas - 1/2 cup (thawed, if using fresh boil them to half consistency)
Oil - 1 tbsp

Seasoning:

Mustard - 2 tsps
Urad Dal - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves
Salt to taste
Turmeric & Hing
Sambar Powder - 1/2 tbsp

Note: If u don't have sambar powder available mix 1/2 tsp jeera powder, 1 tsp dania powder, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, 1/4 tsp finely ground black pepper powder.

Method:

• Heat oil in Kadai and add mustard seeds. When they pop add Urad Dal, Turmeric, Hing and Curry leaves.
• When Urad dal turns light brownish, add Cabbage. Saute for a minute. Now add carrots and peas and saute for another minute.
• Add about 1/2 cup of water to the veggies. Cover the lid and reduce the flame to low, allowing veggies to cook (this maintains the crunchiness unlike boiling them in microwave). This should take about 5. Overcooking might make them soggy.
• When the veggies are cooked and half crunchy open the lid and stir them to evaporate the last bit of water.
• Now add sambar powder and salt and cook for another 3 minutes stirring once or twice.
• Enjoy with rice.