Kathirikai Thovayal / Brinjal Chutney | South Indian Chutney Recipes

A simple chutney with eggplant, and honestly eggplant can't get any tastier than this. When Nags posted her recipe, I made a mental note that I have to try that someday. Luckily I had got eggplant the same week, tried it and it tasted awesome. This has been a regular appearance at our lunch since then.

Ingredients:
Eggplant - 1 big - medium sized (or) 10 small Indian brinjals
Dry Red chillies - 2 or 3
Urad dhal - 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp
Tamarind - size of a blueberry
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Pearl onions - 10 - peeled and sliced thin
Cilantro / Coriander leaves - a fistful
Oil - 4 tsp

Method:
Wash and chop the eggplant into 1 inch pieces. In a kadai, heat 1 tsp of oil and fry the eggplant pieces until slightly golden. Do it in batches if needed. Remove to a plate to cool. Heat another tsp of oil and fry the red chillies, 1 tsp of urad dhal and tamarind. When the dhal turns brown, remove from heat. Allow it to cool and blend with the eggplant in a blender adding salt as needed. For tempering, heat remaining oil and splutter the urad dhal, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add the sliced pearl onions and fry until it becomes soft. Mix in the coriander leaves, ground paste and water needed to thin out the chutney. Heat for a minute or two and remove to a serving bowl. Serve with hot steamed rice. A drop or two of ghee or gingelly oil won't harm, don't you think?