Brinjal Drumstick Kara Kuzhambu | No Coconut Kuzhambu

Today I'm excited to share a remarkably simple and quick kuzhambu recipe that you can make in no time. This dish makes for an outstanding option as an easy vegetarian main course. You can adjust the spiciness by adjusting the sambar powder or kuzhambu powder according to your preference. As each powder blend differs, you are the best judge of your sambar's flavor profile. Here goes the recipe...

Brinjal Drumstick Kara Kuzhambu

Recipe Cuisine: South Indian | Recipe Category: Side dish / Gravy

Prep Time: 10 mins | Cooking Time: 20 mins | Serves: 3

Ingredients:

Brinjal - 4

Drumstick - 1

Small Onion - 1 cup

Tomato - 1

Sambar Powder - 2 to 3 tblspn

Tamarind - small lemon sized

Jaggery - 1 small piece

Salt - to taste

To Temper:

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 2 sprig

Method:

Cut brinjal and drumstick lengthwise. Soak tamarind in warm water and extract it.

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds.

Once mustard seeds starts to crackle, add in fenugreek seeds and curry leaves.

When fenugreek begins to brown, add the chopped onion and saute until it begins soft.

Add the chopped tomato and stir till it becomes mushy.

Vegetable goes into this and saute them for a min.

To this, add the sambar powder, salt, jaggery and tamarind extract. Add additional water if required. Let it cook on medium flame for 20 to 30 mins and put off the flame.

Now that's super! Serve with hot rice. 

Note:

• You can add rice flour to make it thicker. Rice flour acts as a thickening agent
•  Adjust sambar powder according to the brand you use. Each powder varies in spiciness

Pictorial:

Keep all your ingredients ready

Soak tamarind in warm water and extract its juice

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and wait till it splutters

Add the fenugreek seeds and curry leaves

Once fenugreek browns, add the chopped shallots becomes soft and mushy

Tomato is mushy now

Cut the vegetables lengthwise and add to this. Stir fry them for 2 mins

To this, add the sambar powder, jaggery and salt. Saute for a min to avoid raw smell.(We add jaggery to remove the pungent smell of sambar powder / kuzhambu chilli powder)

Add tamarind extract

Add enough water and cover with a lid. Cook on a medium to low flame for about 20 to 30 mins. You can also add rice flour at this stage

Once it reduces and becomes thick, put off the flame

Serve with hot rice and pappad