Ennai Kathirikkai Kulambu / Oil Fried Stuffed Eggplants Gravy

I am not a big fan of Eggplants, but I eat them only when my granny prepares this recipe. This recipe's credit goes to her and her version is slightly vary as she never adds coconut. This recipe tastes good even if you don't add coconut.

This ennai kathirikkai kulambu is one of the typical south Indian gravies which will be definitely liked by all. Tender eggplants are stuffed with the roasted masala mixture and shallow fried in oil to get it cooked and again it is simmered/cooked in masala tamarind gravy to get the traditional taste. It is quite simple but requires few additional steps to make perfect gravy.



Basic Information:
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4


Ingredients:



Brinjal / Eggplants - 7 nos

Tamarind - 1 small lemon size

Gingely oil - 2 tablespoon

Curry Leaves - 1 string

Mustard and Urid Dal - 1/2 teaspoon



To Roast and Grind:



Onion - 1 medium size / 1 cup chopped

Coconut - 1/4 cup, grated

Dry red chillies - 5-7 nos / to taste

Poppy seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Peanuts - 1 tablespoon

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon

Salt - to taste

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon



Method:



1) Soak Tamarind in warm water for 15 minutes and extract the juice from it. Keep it aside.

2) In a dry pan, dry roast all the ingredients given for roasting except coconut, onion, turmeric powder and salt. Roast well till you get nice aroma and towards the end, add grated coconut,salt and turmeric powder. Give a quick fry. Transfer it to another plate/bowl.

3) Add a teaspoon of oil and onion in the same pan. Fry them till onions are soft.

4) Allow the mixture and onion to cool and grind it together to a smooth paste by adding little water. Keep it aside.

5) Take baby eggplants and cut them into four without breaking them. See the picture for reference.

6) Stuff them carefully with the masala mixture which we prepared in step 4. It might take approx. 1/2 to 1 teaspoon for each eggplant.

7) Now, Take a pan and heat the remaining oil. When they are hot and not smoking, add eggplants and fry till they are soft and half cooked. Transfer them to a plate.

8) In the same pan, add mustard seeds and urid dal. Allow them to splutter.

9) Add curry leaves, remaining masala mixture and tamarind water. Add approx. a cup of water or more according to your desired thickness. Adjust for the salt now by tasting gravy.

10) Wait for the gravy to boil. when it starts boiling, add oil fried eggplants.

11) Reduce the flame to medium and cook till the oil oozes out from the gravy. Remove from heat at this stage.

12) This Gravy best pairs with steamed rice.

Making Your Kitchen More Energy Efficient

If you’re looking for ways to improve the energy efficiency of your kitchen and save on energy bills, there are ways to make the changes without breaking the bank. The kitchen uses more energy than any other room in the house. Here are a few tips to reduce your energy usage and costs:

Lighting

The light fixtures in your kitchen are a big contributor to your energy cost, especially during the night. Install ENERGY STAR qualified light fixtures or replace standard light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). According to ENERGY STAR, their qualified lighting provides bright, warm light while using 75% less energy, generating 70% less heat and lasting up to 10 times longer than standard lighting. Remember to always turn off your lights when leaving the room.

If you’re planning to remodel your kitchen, think of ways to bring in natural lighting. Make windows wider, knock down walls, add skylights or put in French doors to connect to another room. This will allow the sun to illuminate your kitchen at no additional cost.

Refrigerators

The refrigerator is the appliance that consumes the most energy. When choosing a fridge be sure to also find a product with the ENERGY STAR symbol as these qualified refrigerator models use at least 20% less energy than required by current federal standards.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), you should replace your fridge if it’s more than 10 years old. Also, don’t purchase a fridge that’s larger than what you need; you’ll just be wasting more energy.

Refrigerators with the freezer on the top or bottom are more efficient than side-by-side models. Be sure to leave space between the refrigerator and walls to allow air movement.

Dishwashers

Most dishwashers today can thoroughly clean dishes that have had food scraped, rather than rinsed, off — the wash cycle and detergent take care of the rest. To make the most efficient use of your dishwasher's energy and water consumption, run the dishwasher only when enough dirty dishes have accumulated for a full load and use the air-dry option. Try running short cycles for everything but the dirtiest dishes.

Range

Using the wrong sized pot on a stove burner can waste as much 40 percent of the burner's heat and can cost approximately $36 more annually for an electric range, or $18 more annually for gas. Be sure to cover pots and pans. This will ensure you cook more efficiently and keep your kitchen cooler.

You may want to consider selecting a natural gas oven or range which is far more efficient than electricity. Keep the burners clean to ensure maximum efficiency. Blue flames mean good combustion; yellow flames mean service may be needed to ensure the gas is burning efficiently.

Other Tips

Use small appliances when you can. If you use a toaster oven rather than a full-size oven you will save energy. In addition, using a microwave oven versus a full range oven or stove will save you money because the heating time is far less.

For information on 2011 Federal Tax Credits for Consumer Energy Efficiency go to http://www.energystar.gov.

Kokum Juice

Today is the last day of the BM#7 edition. As part of the Maharashtrian cuisine for the series, I thought of finishing the series with the kokum juice. I have heard of kokum juice before but never had a chance to taste. I tasted it after we moved to Pune. The taste of kokum is hard to define. It doesn't go well with everyone.  I liked to it. My husband is a juice person and can have juice any time. For him, juices are not just  thirst quenchers for summer.  During summer, I bought a packet of kokum and tried making the juice at home. I have seen many recipes for this and found it very easy to make. From then on, its made more often at home. Do check out this post at Aayis Recipes to see the pictures of kokum tree and fresh fruits. 

Now on to the recipe

You need

• Dried kokum rinds - 10 nos
• Sugar - 3 tblspn
• Water - 3 cups
• Salt - a pinch
• Cumin powder -1/4 tsp ( optional). I don't add.

Method

Soak the kokum rinds in lukewarm water for half an hour. Crush the kokum lightly and filter to remove the kokum rinds. The water would have turned to a lovely pink. Stir in sugar and salt. Stir till the sugar is dissolved well. Chill and serve. 

Here is the picture of Maharashtrian Thali, which we had in a hotel during our Kolhapur trip.

Do check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked.