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Home » Lunch » Sambar & Tamarind Gravies » Ennai Kathrikai Kuzhambu | Brinjal Kulambu | South-Indian Lunch #8

Ennai Kathrikai Kuzhambu | Brinjal Kulambu | South-Indian Lunch #8

Jul 20, 2022 · Modified: Mar 5, 2023 by Priya_Srinivasan ·

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How to make Brinjal Kuzhambu | Kathrikaai Kaara Kulambu | Ennai kathrikai kuzhambu | Tamil brahmin style ennai kathrikai kuzhambu | Stuffed Brinjal kuzhambu | Tamarind gravy with brinjal | Brinjal gravy | South-Indian style gravy with brinjals | South-Indian style stuffed brinjal gravy

Ennai kathrikkai kuzhambu a flavorsome kuzhambu made with tender brinjals stuffed with freshly ground spice powder and cooked in tamarind based gravy until oil oozes out.

Ennai kathrikai kuzhambu recipe

Table of contents

  • The Name Ennai Kathrikai
  • Ennai Kathrikai Kuzhambu Making
  • More Kuzhambu Recipes
  • Step by Step Instructions to make Brinjal Kulambu
  • Recipe for Ennai Kathrikai Kuzhambu
  • More Thali Meal Ideas
  • Do you like this Recipe? PIN IT

The Name Ennai Kathrikai

Ennai means 'oil' and kathrikai means 'brinjal' in Tamil. Tender brinjals are stuffed with freshly ground spice powder and sauteed in oil and cooked in tamarind gravy. Towards the end of cooking, oil starts to float on top of the gravy, giving it an irresistible look and mouth-watering taste.

Ennai Kathrikai Kuzhambu Making

There are many ways to make this kuzhambu. Chettinad style gravies use onion and garlic, whereas my mother doesn't use both. Some say the kuzhambu itself is from chettinad. But amma mentions, she is making this kuzhambu as taught by her athai(aunt) and paati(grandmother).

So this delicious tamarind kuzhambu with brinjals, undergoes slight ingredient changes according to the region it is made. Amma usually stuffs it with Idly milagai podi, whereas i prefer grinding fresh spice powder with chana dal and lots of coriander seeds, or use curry podi, which oomph's the flavor to another level.

Here is the recipe for Ennai Kathrikai dry curry

More Kuzhambu Recipes

Mixed vegetable sambar in pressure cooker
Puli mandi kuzhambu

Step by Step Instructions to make Brinjal Kulambu

Please check recipe card below for exact measurements of each ingredient used and also for the detailed instructions

  • Let us first make the spice powder to stuff the brinjals. Roast the ingredients listed under 'roast & grind' with care and let it cool completely. Then take it in a spice grinder and grind it to a fine powder.
  • Soak tamarind in warm water for 30 minutes and extract juice.
  • Let us next prepare the brinjals/eggplants. Wash them well with water and drain. Chop the stem off and slit them lengthwise like '+', do not cut it fully.
  • Let us stuff the eggplants. Now nicely stuff atleast a teaspoon of the spice powder into the slits and keep them aside.
how to make ennai kathrikai kulambu
  • Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan, temper it with the mustard seeds, hing, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. To this hot tempering, add the stuffed brinjals. Saute them gently.
  • Let them cook in oil for 10 minutes. Now add the tamarind water to this. Add sambar powder, salt and turmeric powder. Let this simmer until the gravy thickens.
  • Once it thickens, remove from heat. Serve it hot with rice.

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Recipe for Ennai Kathrikai Kuzhambu

Kathrikai kuzhambu

Ennai Kathrikaai Kuzhambu | Brinjal Kuzhambu

Ennai kathrikkai kuzhambu a flavorsome kuzhambu made with tender brinjals stuffed with freshly ground spice powder and cooked in tamarind based gravy until oil oozes out.
5 from 19 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Gravy, Main Course
Cuisine: South-Indian, Tamil Brahmin Recipe
Keyword: Ennai kathrikai kuzhambu recipe, Ennai kathrikai recipe, How to make ennai kathrikai kulambu, How to make kaara kuzhambu, Kathirkai kuzhambu
Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour
Servings: 4
Calories: 144kcal

Equipment

  • Indian style mixie or any heavy blender for grinding spice powder
  • Heavy bottom pan for making the gravy

Ingredients

  • 20 nos tender brinjals
  • 1.5 teaspoon salt
  • a gooseberry sized tamarind soaked in warm water for 30 minutes.
  • 1 teaspoon homemade sambar powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground spice powder
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

Roast and Grind

  • ⅓ cup coriander seeds
  • ¼ cup chana dal
  • 15 nos round red chilies
  • ¼ cup of coconut
  • 1 teaspoon peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Tempering

  • 4 tablespoon gingely oil
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 2 pinches of fenugreek seeds
  • 2 pinches of hing
  • 2-3 nos round red chilies
  • a strand of curry leaf

Instructions

  • Roast each ingredient under 'Roast & Grind' separately in a pan. Let them cool completely. Grind it to a fine powder in a mixie. Keep the powder aside, we will be using ⅓ cup of this powder, the rest can be stored in an air-tight container and can be used while making dry curries.
  • Wash and chop the stem of all the eggplants. Slit them lengthwise, like a '+'. Do not cut fully, we just need to make a slit till the bulb of the eggplant and stuff it with the spice powder
  • Extract 4 cups of tamarind extract from the soaked tamarind and discard the pulp.

Let us make Kuzhambu

  • Heat a wide pan with gingely oil given under 'Tempering', splutter mustard seeds, add hing, fenugreek seeds, red chilies, and curry leaf. 
  • Now add the stuffed brinjals, one by one, keep the flame simmer and sauté it for 5 minutes. |Add half of the salt to the brinjals and mix. Stir frequently and gently. We do not want the brinjals to separate and also not burn.
  • Let the brinjals cook in a simmer flame in oil for another 8-10 minutes. When they are half cooked, add the tamarind extract, sambhar powder, spice powder, turmeric powder and salt.
  • Let this cook until the rawness of the spices disappear and the gravy thickens. Once it thickens, remove it from flame. Serve it warm with rice. 
  • I served it with Yardlong Beans Paruppusli and Yelumichampazham Rasam for our weekend lunch.

Nutrition

Calories: 144kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 885mg | Potassium: 114mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 12IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 2mg

Disclaimer

I m not a Doctor or a Nutritionist The Nutrition information provided above comes from the plugin and is only an estimate.

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I served this fingerlicking kathrikai kuzhambu with lemon rasam and yardlong beans paruppuusli.

South indian lunch thali with puli kulambu

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  • Bisibela bath served with ghee and appalam
    Bisi Bele Bath | How to make Bisi Bele Bath | Sambar Sadam Recipe

Do you like this Recipe? PIN IT

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    5 from 19 votes (14 ratings without comment)

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  1. Suma Gandlur

    April 29, 2016 at 8:38 pm

    Yummy 'Y' dishes thali. We have a version of this eggplant dish too and this one it fit for parties. And same pinch. I made that yard long bean curry too but didn't post it.

    Reply
  2. Priya Suresh

    April 29, 2016 at 9:37 pm

    Slurp slurp, kuzhambu looks absolutely fabulous, lipsmacking here.. Priya you did a fantabulous job with your Y dishes.

    Reply
  3. Srividhya

    April 30, 2016 at 2:31 am

    spicy kuzhambu. 🙂 Great thali. Love the spread.

    Reply
  4. Gayathri Kumar

    April 30, 2016 at 10:00 am

    Absolutely delicious yennai kathrikkai kulambu. Always my favourite..

    Reply
  5. Srivalli

    April 30, 2016 at 12:46 pm

    Wow you surely made up for the X factor missing priya..that thali is so inviting!

    Reply
  6. MySpicyKitchen

    April 30, 2016 at 5:09 pm

    Mini thali looks delicious and brinjal curry is yum!!

    Reply
  7. cookingwithsapana

    May 02, 2016 at 4:49 pm

    All dishes looks delicious in the thali.

    Reply
  8. Amara’s cooking

    May 03, 2016 at 10:45 am

    Love the Eggplant curry and of course the yummy thali. Looks delicious:)

    Reply
  9. Harini R

    May 04, 2016 at 2:39 am

    That thali is a definite crowd pleaser.

    Reply
  10. Smruti Ashar

    May 16, 2016 at 5:34 am

    Wow, such a wonderful thali with Y dishes 🙂 Lovely pick!

    Reply
  11. veenaazmanov

    July 20, 2022 at 9:13 pm

    5 stars
    Surely delicious and perfect dish for a vegetarian meal. Flavorful...

    Reply
  12. Carrie Robinson

    July 20, 2022 at 9:16 pm

    5 stars
    I have never heard of this dish before, but it does sound delicious! Might have to give this recipe a try soon. 🙂

    Reply
  13. Louise

    July 20, 2022 at 9:21 pm

    5 stars
    I wanted a new idea to make with little eggplants and this was perfect! The spices make this utterly divine.

    Reply
  14. Beth

    July 20, 2022 at 9:50 pm

    5 stars
    So good! Thanks for being so specific with the step by step photos. They really helped!

    Reply
  15. Cam

    July 20, 2022 at 10:06 pm

    5 stars
    This is absolutely delicious! Can't wait to make it this weekend!

    Reply

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