Eggplant Curry for Briyani

Brinjal is one of my favorite vegetable. I simply love anything prepared with brinjals. This Brinjal curry is a very simple curry which goes well with Briyani. Today My friend Priya requested a recipe for an eggplant curry and I’m happy to post this recipe . 

Ingredients:

Brinjal – 1 lb

Tomatoes – 2 chopped

Green chillies – 3 slit 

Onion – 1 medium chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 tsp

Cumin/ Jeera powder – 1/2 tsp

Garam masala – 1/2 tsp

Tamarind juice – 1/4 cup

Water – 1 cup
Salt – to taste

Mustard and urad dal - 1/2 tbsp
cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Dry red chillies – 2

Oil – 4 tbsp

 To Grind:

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Red chillies - 2

Grated coconut – 2 tbsp

White sesame seeds – 2 tsp
Peanuts – 4 tbsp 
Cashew nuts - 3 tbsp

Garnish with:

curry leaves- 1 sprig

cilantro/ coriander leaves (chopped)- 1 tbsp

PREPARATION:

Wash and clean the Brinjal,  Slit it and fry in oil 4 minutes.        Dry Roast the  items mentioned except coconut and then grind them  . Grind the tomatoes also.

Soak the tamarind in 1 cup water for 20 minutes. Squeeze it and get the extract.

In a separate pan, heat the cooking oil and splutter the cumin seeds, mustard and red chillies  then add the chopped onions and saute it to golden brown.

Add the Ginger - Garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes out. Now add the tomato paste and add some salt and saute for few min. Add the green chillies and then add the ground paste and cook for 10 or 15 min. The pan may get sticky so add water little by little. Now add the  tamarind extract.  When the Raw smell of the paste goes off, add the brinjals but take care not to smash them ... just cook as it starts boiling and  turn off the fire.

Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot. It goes well with any kind of Briyani or for Steamed Rice!

POLYMER CLAY CRAFTS!

When I was browsing blog posts in the Etsy group I found various polymer clay figurines and doll house sculptures which inspired me a lot. Evening my beloved hubby dropped me in the Michaels' and I shopped lot of materials regarding clay ... clay .... clay. 

Two years ago they figured out a way to create canes using Play-Doh and now came up with a new idea to use natural clay as a mold for polymer clay. Since natural clay curing temperature is much higher then polymer clay curing temperature you can use it as a "shape holder" to create many shapes of polymer. Give it a Try!! HAVE FUN!

These are my first babies... !

Hope you liked it! 

Mutton Kulambu\Mutton curry!

Mutton Kulambu....my family's favorite. My mom cooks almost on all Sundays :)...! She really deserves a Iron Chef crown. This is one of a kind mutton curry, try out this recipe if you want to relish the taste of real south Indian tasty mutton curry. This will definitely bring you the nostalgic memories of home cooked food.

Ingredients:

• Mutton – 2 Lb.
• Onion – 2 Big finely diced
• Tomoto - 4 sliced
• Green Chillies - 4 to 5
• Ginger & garlic paste – 3 tbsp
• Potato - 2 (cut into big cubes)
• Chilli powder – 1 tbsp
• Coriander powder – 3 tbsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tbsp
• Garam Masala – 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves
• Shredded coconut - 1/2 cup
• Fennel seeds - 1 tbsp
• Salt

Dry Grind:

• Black pepper corn – 1 tsp
• Coriander – 1 tsp
• Caradamom – 4
• Cloves – 4
• Cinnamom – 2 medium stick
• Red chilli – 2
• Fennel seeds - 1 tbsp

Heat the pan and dry roast the above ingredients and grind coarsely. 

Pressure cook mutton, 1/2 cup diced onion, 1/2 cup diced tomato, 1 tbsp of ginger garlic paste and 1 tsp each of black pepper corn, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric powder and salt to taste.

Heat oil in a pan & add all the dry masala ingredients. When it splutters add the finely cut onion and saute for 3 to 4 mins. Now add the ginger garlic paste. Saute the paste until the aroma goes off. Add the Tomato and saute everything together for 5 mins or tomato becomes juicy. Now add the powders one at a time and then roast for little time. Add the Potato cubes and saute it. Add 1 cup of water and stir for 5 mins. Add some salt to taste. 

When it starts boiling add the pressure cooked mutton and all of the pressure cooked water and ingredients. Grind the coconut along with 2 green chillies and fennel seeds. When the mutton pieces are cooked well add the coconut masala and mix well. Let it boil for 5 min. Garnish with coriander leaves. Mutton kulambu is now ready to be served. Serve hot with Rice, Chappathi or Parotta.