The Eggplant-Tamarind Curry is a popular South Indian vegetable side
that's easy to make. The tamarind paste in this recipe remove any
bitterness the eggplant may have and adds a nice tang to the curry.
This is how my mom makes this curry.
Servings: 4-6 Cooking Time: 20
minutes
Ingredients
7-8 cups eggplant, cut into small cubes
3/4 tsp tamarind paste
3/4 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
For Seasoning
4-5 tsp vegetable oil
4 tsp urad dal (split black gram)
1 1/2 tsp mustard seeds (rai)
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
5-6 red chillies
1 tsp red chilli powder
6-7 curry leaves
Preparation
Boil the eggplant with salt, tamarind paste, and
turmeric powder in just enough water on medium heat until tender but
not mushy. Stir occasionally. Remove in a bowl.
Heat oil in a steel or other non-reactive pan (since
the curry has tamarind). Add the urad dal, mustard, and cumin seeds and
fry until the dal is golden and the mustard starts to pop. Add the red
chillies and fry for a couple of seconds. Add the red chilli powder and
fry for a second.
Add the eggplant along with any water. Cook the
eggplant-tamarind curry on medium heat, stirring occasionally for 3-4
minutes. Adjust the salt as needed.
If there's too much water, turn up the heat to high
and let the water evaporate. Then turn down the heat and cook for 1-2
minutes. Remove from heat.
Serve the eggplant-tamarind curry hot with plain rice
and pappadums.