Kara Kulambu / Kuzhambu (made of brinjal (kathirikkai) and vengayam)

Kara Kulambu (with  kathirikkai (brinjal) and vengayam )

Kara kulambu is main curry, goes well with rice in Tamil cuisine. Recipe from MTR Kulambu masala !!

Serves: 3 – 4

Ingredients

For the paste:

1 onion

1 green chilli

1 tomato (pick well ripe)

Make a paste of the above ingredients in a small mixer bowl. Do not add water when making the paste. Keep aside.

Other ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (uluva / methI)

6 curry leaves

10 shallots (small onion / chuvannulli)

Tomato – onion – green chilli paste

4 brinjal, cut into cubes or any other shape or drumstick (gently peel off the skin and cut into 2 – inch pieces)

2 teaspoon MTR Kulambu masala (or to taste)

1 - 2 tablespoon tamarind extract (soak small lemon sized tamarind in ¼ cup warm water for half an hour and extract 2 tablespoon tamarind juice) or 1 teaspoon thick tamarind paste

1 cup / 200 ml water (Indian standard measuring cup of 200 ml / 8 oz capacity)

½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves (optional)

Method

Heat oil in a pan / kadai on medium heat.  Add mustard seeds. When the crackle, add fenugreek seeds, curry leaves and sauté on a low heat for 1 – 2 minutes until fragrant.

Add small onion and fry until pink color.

Add tomato – onion – green chilli paste. Stir well on a low heat for 2 – 3 minutes until the raw smell goes and well combined with onions.

Add brinjal (kathirikkai) and gently  stir well on a low heat for 2 minutes.

 Add MTR Kulambu masala, tamarind extract, 1 cup water and salt to taste. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a medium to low heat for 10 – 12 minutes until the brinjal (or drumsticks) well cooked / gravy thickens / dark red in color. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and serve with rice.