ENNAI KATHARIKKAI KARIYAMUTHU

The Vaishnava Paribhashai or the Vaishnavite Colloquialism emphasizes on specific terminologies while referring to food.  

Kariyamuthu -- A term to denote any cooked vegetable -- Kari == veggie; amuthu -- to denote that the dish is as tasty as elixir (not literally sweet, but more metamorphic)

I prepared this on a weekend as an accompaniment to Araichuvitta Sambhar. Click here for the recipe. 

Also check my posts on 

Stuffed Katharikkai Kuzhambu

Mangalore Rasam

Preparation Time: 20                         Cooking Time: 10 mins              Cooking Level: Medium
Cuisine: South Indian                         Recipe Category: Side dish        Serves: 4
Source: MIL

INGREDIENTS

15 small equal sized Egg plants ( Purple/White)

TO ROAST AND GRIND

2 tbsp Coriander seeds
1 tbsp Gram dhal
8 red Chillies
1 tsp Poppy seeds (optional)
3 -4 flakes of compounded Asafoetida
1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp Desiccated Coconut
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Oil 

OTHER INGREDIENTS

50 ml of refined oil/ sesame oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp black gram/urad dhal
2 sprigs of Curry leaves

METHOD

• Dry roast all ingredients except Coconut, given under - "To Roast and Grind" heading - in 1 tsp of oil. 
• Cool and grind to a coarse powder with Coconut, salt to taste and sugar. Set the Masala powder aside.
• Slit Egg plants into 4 after removing the crown leaving the bottoms intact. Stuff  the masala powder into the egg plant and repeat the same until you are done. Reserve 1 tsp of Masala.
• I have already posted a Stuffed Katharikkai Kuzhambu recipe in my space. It details on how to slice, stuff  and cook egg plants very clearly with pictures. Do check this post. Click here .
• Heat oil in a flat pan preferably with a handle. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add urad dhal followed by curry leaves. Now gently drop the stuffed Egg plants one by one into the oil.
• You can also tie a thread around each egg plant before dropping them into the oil. Just to ensure the spice powder is intact.
• Hold the pan with the handle and gently roll the egg plants by moving the pan to and fro. This ensures uniform cooking without breaking the eggplants. 
• Keep the flame low-medium and cook until egg plants are cooked evenly brown on all sides.
• When done, sprinkle the remaining 1 tsp Masala powder onto the cooked egg plants. It absorbs the extra oil and gives a dry look. 
• Serve hot with Rice, Sambhar or Rasam. 

NOTES

• Egg plants cook really fast. So, keep the flame low and slow cook for excellent results and an even coating, as shown in the pictures.
• Once the egg plants are cooked, you can notice that the external skin would turn flaky and the inside would be soft. When you bite into it you will get a wonderful mouth feel of the crisp and coarse masala powder.
• You need not add salt while cooking as the masala powder itself is salted.