Ennai kathirikai kulambu is one of the most popular South Indian kulambu recipe made with small variety of brinjals, onions, tamarind and spices. Brinjal is cooked with shallots, garlic and roasted masala and simmered in tamarind juice until a layer of oil floats on top. This dish is best served with rice. Learn how to make the perfect ennai kathirikai kulambu with step by step pictures and video.
Ennai Kathirikai Kulambu
This is a dish which makes my mouth water when I think about it. Such a flavourful dish, but if you are in diet like me, stay away from this. Because it has lots of oil in it. But I love to make this for my Amma, because she go crazy for brinjals. So I made this couple of weeks before and Amma ate this for 2 days keeping in the fridge.
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About Ennai Kathirikai Kulambu
Ennai kathirikai is a popular South Indian kuzhambu made with small variety brinjal, shallots, garlic, coconut and whole spices. Whole brinjal cooked in a tangy tamarind sauce which taste so good with hot rice. I like to freshly roasted masala in the kuzhambu which makes it taste amazing.
Actually this dish taste way better the next day. The truth is any dish that has coconut or roasted spices in it taste great the next day.
You will like this Stuffed Ennai Kathirikai Kuzhambu and Ennai kathirikai fry
Video for Ennai Kathirikai Kuzhambu
Ennai Kathirikai Ingredients
Ennai kathirikai kuzhambu has a set of ingredients which is used for making the masala and making the gravy.
Roast & Grind these Ingredients
Dry Red Chillies - you can use a combination of kashmiri chillies and regular chillies. Since I don't want this to be too spicy. I used dry red chillies for the masala.
Coriander, Cumin & Pepper - these adds so much flavour to the kuzhambu.
Sesame seeds - sesame adds nutty taste to the gravy also adds the thickness.
Onion - chopped onions is sauted with coconut to make base masala. You can use shallots instead of onions.
Coconut - freshly grated coconut is roasted with the chillies till golden brown. You can use desiccated coconut or copra.
Brinjals - small variety of tender brinjal is used for this kuzhambu. Brinjals should be cut into 4 sections. Don't cut it all the way through, leave the stems intact so the brinjal stays in one piece.
Tamarind - this adds sour taste to the kuzhambu.
Garlic & Shallots - sambar onions and garlic cloves are peeled and left whole.
Jaggery - a small piece of jaggery brings all the flavours together.
Gingelly Oil - ennai kathirikai kuzhambu uses good amount of oil.
Tempering - mustard, urad dal, cumin, fenugreek, asafoetida and curry leaves is used for tempering.
Which Variety of Brinjal to use for Ennai Kathirikai
Use round tender small brinjals for making ennai kathirikai. Traditionally Brinjals are left whole in Ennai kathirikai kuzhambu.
Make sure you leave the stems when cutting the brinjals. Also brinjals should be cut in 4 sections. Once the brinjals are cut, check for any insects or worms and immerse them in cold water so it doesn't oxidise.
How to Make Ennai Kathirikai Kulambu
Preparing Brinjal
Slit brinjals in the middle in to 4 parts. But make sure that the stem is intact with this.(See picture).
Masala for Ennai Kathirikai
Saute all the ingredients given for roasting and grinding in oil till golden brown. Once golden grind them into a smooth paste.
Making Kuzhambu
For making the base, temper spices in good amount of oil. Brinjal added should be sauted till colour changes. Then it is mixed with tamarind, masala paste and cooked.
Simmer & Serve
Ennai kathirikai kuzhambu should be simmered for at least 20 to 30 minutes on very low heat. This process separates the oil on top and you can the iconic floating of oil.
Expert Tips
- Use good amount of oil when making ennai kathirikai.
- Roast the spices in oil till golden which imparts flavour to the kulambu.
- Use small variety of brinjal so it cooks faster and the spices go deep into the kulambu.
- Gingelly oil is used for making the kulambu.
How to Make Ennai Kathirikai Kuzhambu (stepwise pictures)
1)Start by making the masala. I used my traditional stone cookware called as kal chatti. Heat 1 tsp oil and add in dry red chillies, cumin seeds, black pepper and onions.
2)Saute these ingredients for 30 seconds to 1 minutes till onions turn translucent.
3)Add in coconut and sesame seeds. You have to roast coconut and sesame seeds for at least 3 to 4 minutes till toasted.
4)Traditionally you have to use coriander seeds. I didn't have any so I used coriander powder. So I added coriander powder in the end and sauted for 30 seconds. If you are using whole seeds, add it along with the cumin seeds, black pepper in the begining and toast.
5)Now all the ingredients is well roasted.
6)Take the ingredients in a blender, add water and grind it into a smooth paste.
7)heat a good amount of oil in the same pan for making kulambu. Use gingelly oil or Indian sesame oil for good flavour. Once oil is hot, add in whole spices for tempering.
8)Add in dry red chillies broken in small pieces.
9)Add in curry leaves.
10)Add in asafoetida.
11)Add in peeled shallots.
12)Add peeled garlic.
13)Add in the prepared brinjal. Make sure you leave the stems when cutting the brinjals. Also brinjals should be cut in 4 sections. Once the brinjals are cut, check for any insects or worms and immerse them in cold water so it doesn't oxidise.
Saute the brinjal for 4 to 5 minutes till well seared.
14)Add in salt and turmeric powder and saute for 1 minute.
15)Pour in tamarind mixed with water to cover the brinjal.
16)Add in the ground masala paste.
17)I added some water to the blender jar in which I made the masala paste and poured the water back into the kulambu.
18)Add jaggery to taste.
19)Mix well.
20)Cover with a lid and cook on a very low heat for at least 25 to 30 minutes.
21)Ennai kathirikai kulambu with a layer of oil floating on top is ready to serve.
More Kulambu Recipes to try
📖 Recipe Card
Ennai Kathirikai Kulambu Recipe
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 10 Brinjals (small variety)
- 1 lemon size Tamarind
- 10 Garlic peeled
- 10 Sambar Onion (Shallots) peeled
- 1 tbsp Jaggery
- Salt to taste
For Tempering
- ¼ cup Sesame oil
- 3 Spris Curry leaves
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 tsp Split Urad dal
- ½ tsp Fenugreek seeds
- 2 Dry red chillies
- ½ tsp Asafoetida
For Roasting and Grinding
- 4 tbsp Fresh Coconut grated
- 1 tbsp Sesame seeds
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 6 Dry Red chilli
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp Coriander powder
Instructions
- Slit brinjals in the middle in to 4 parts. But make sure that the stem is intact with this. Immerse brinjal in cold water till use.
- Heat 1 tsp oil in a kadai and add in all the roasting ingredients and roast till golden and brown. Let this cool down. Now grind this into a smooth paste and set aside.
- Heat rest of the oil in a kadai and crackle mustard, urad dal, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds. Now add in asafoetida, dry red chillies and curry leaves.
- Add in shallots and garlic and fry for few minutes. Add in brinjal and fry for 5 minutes till it get seared on all sides.
- Pour in the tamarind water and mix well. Add in the ground masala and season with salt and jaggery. Bring this to a good boil and simmer the flame. Let this cook partially covered for 20-30 mins.
- By this time the oil will have been separated from the mixture and the gravy must have thickened. Turn off the flame and let it sit for 15 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- Use good amount of oil when making ennai kathirikai.
- Roast the spices in oil till golden which imparts flavour to the kulambu.
- Use small variety of brinjal so it cooks faster and the spices go deep into the kulambu.
- Gingelly oil is used for making the kulambu.
Nutrition
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zareena.b
Uffff... mind blowing pics Aarthi. I love this kathrikai curry a lot, but my Hubby doesn't like this veggie 🙁 so I only had this at my friend's house and fell in love with this.
Thank you so much dear for visiting my space and leaving your precious comment. I am so happy to follow you dear.
Chitra
ennai katharikai looks super good aarthi...
Nalini's Kitchen
Wow...kulambhu looks yummy and delicious,u made it in mansatti(earthenware)i can imagine how tasty it wud be,drooling.Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
Sugan
Hi Thanks for the recipe. When i click on the link to potato roast, it goes to Onion Chutney page. Just to let you know.
Aarthi
@SuganI have updated
dharshik
Woww... thanks for the delicious dish
morri
Wow, this is so goooood. The coconut masala has such a deep, almost nutty taste. I served it with roast potatoes and raita.
Latha
Recipe looks great cooked in earthenware. Can u let me know where to get the earthenware vessel u cooked? Thanks.
Taani Singh Mukherjee
Its cooked in an earthenware wow...where can we get it and how to buy d best one
Fizza Rizvi
Wow. I just discovered this site and u r amazing. U've explained everything so clearly with pictures. Being a Pakistani, we have a similar taste buds as yours. Gonna try almost all of ur recipies, especially this one.
Anonymous
Hi arthi, how cn i replace poppy seeds in this recipe; as we r in uae and poppy seeds r banned here
Aarthi
@Anonymousu can skip that
Hema Reddy
Thank you so much for the recipe it was just osm, this my best dish ever just love it... thanks a ton...
Ramesh
I Love it 🙂
Ramesh
I Love it 🙂
suji
I like 👍 all ur recipes and also follower
Valarie Dneill
Wow i luv cookin ive neva cooked this receipe bt will try it. Will try to download all your receipes. Thanks & God bless.
Prats
The recipe is amazing and simple to make thank you