I am a big fan of Theeyal as my mom used to cook the same with different vegetables (eggplant, button onion, bitter gourd etc.) each time. Though this Vazhuthananga Theeyal or(Eggplant in roasted coconut gravy is a tad difficult to prepare, it is worth the effort as the flavour is just awesome.
Ingredients
1 ½ cups vazhuthananga/eggplant (cubed)
1 cup coconut (grated)
2 teaspoon button onion (sliced)
4 dry red chillies
1 teaspoon coriander powder
A pinch of fenugreek seeds
A pinch of cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
2 green chillies (slit)
Tamarind (the size of a lemon, soaked in 1 cup water)
Salt to taste
A few curry leaves
½ cup water
3 teaspoon coconut oil
¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
How To
In a deep pan, roast the grated coconut, red chillies, coriander powder, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds and 1 teaspoon onion. Grind these to a fine paste. In the same pan, heat 1 teaspoon of oil and add turmeric powder and vazhuthananga cubes and sauté for a couple of minutes. Strain and add tamarind water and the ground paste to this pan. Add water and salt and cook over low flame till the gravy thickens. In another pan, heat the remaining oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add 1 teaspoon onion, green chillies, curry leaves and sauté for a couple of minutes. Pour this over the curry.
Source: Mom…
