My two favorite ways to eat eggplants or brinjals are when they appear with other vegetables like in aviyal or sambar, and when they’re cooked in a tangy sauce like in this eggplant curry (vazhuthananga paal curry).
So this curry, which is basically eggplants (brinjals) cooked in a tangy sauce enriched with tamarind, coconut milk and plenty of spices, is pretty much my ideal way to make eggplants really delicious and special.
Curries cooked in coconut milk are very popular in India. But unlike other curries, the tangy twist with the addition of tamarind makes this curry super scrumptious. The one and only secret ingredient that makes it so unique is the perfect balance between spicy, bitter and tangy flavors. However, if you’re not a fan of spicy foods, you can reduce the amount of chili used in this recipe.
So this is one incredible eggplant (brinjal) curry that you should definitely make at home. Make it. Enjoy!
More Indian Curries:
- Cauliflower and Potato Curry
- Sweet Potato Chickpea Curry
- Lentils Kale Cauliflower Curry
- Onion Curry
- Palak Paneer or Spinach Paneer Curry
- Rajma Masala (Kidney Beans Curry)
- Spinach Yogurt Curry
Eggplant Coconut Curry | Vazhuthananga Paal Curry
Eggplant cooked in spiced coconut sauce. An easy side dish for rice.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants (3 cups), cut into cubes
- A small lemon sized tamarind
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ cup chopped red or brown onions
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 green chilies, chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon red chilly powder
- ¾ cup thin coconut milk, or canned coconut milk
- ¼ cup thick coconut milk, or canned coconut cream
- Water
- Salt to taste
- Steamed rice, to serve
- Pappadums, to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Soak tamarind in ¼ cup water for 10-15 minutes. Set aside.
- Place cut eggplants in a shallow bowl. Sprinkle with a generous amount of salt. Set aside for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, drain and discard the bitter juice. Rinse well under cold running water.
- Heat oil in a frypan over medium-high heat. Add eggplants. Saute, stirring occasionally, until browned. Drain on an absorbent towel.
- Heat oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Splutter mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Add onions and curry leaves, and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes, or until browned. Add garlic and green chilies. Stir and cook for a minute, or until fragrant.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add ground turmeric, ground coriander, and red chilly powder. Stir and cook again for another 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add fried brinjal pieces and salt. Mix well.
- Squeeze out the pulp from the soaked tamarind (discard the hard bits) and add it to the curry. Add thin coconut milk. Stir well. Increase the heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce starts to thicken (about 3-4 minutes). Add thick coconut milk or coconut cream. Stir and continue to cook until the curry is warmed through.
- Remove from heat. Serve with rice and pappadums.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 393Total Fat 33gSaturated Fat 23gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 0mgSodium 181mgCarbohydrates 77gFiber 13gSugar 29gProtein 9g
That looks awesome 🙂 I always have a bit of trouble with aubergines (eggplants) but I will give this recipe a shot
looks delicious though am not a big fan of this veggie 🙂
this sounds delicious! I never salted eggplant before—def have to keep that technique in mind when I cook with eggplant in the future!