Brinjal Coconut Curry / Kathirikai Vellai Curry

The spread at a Srilankan occasion is very simple. A few veg and non-veg dishes along with rice, pappad, cutlets and achar. Also, the choice of vegetables in the spread is unchanging. It’s usually brinjal, okra, beetroot and potato. As a kid, I used to detest this spread, but as I grew, I loved these combinations and tastes. That reminds me of my preggy days when my cravings were very specific. I craved for curd, Lankan meals and palappam. I used to work in DLF Chennai at that time and my friends who went down the block for lunch always brought curd or flavored yogurt from the food block (the nuts & spices kiosk in DLF, for people who might know). The other two cravings were fulfilled by my aunt who lived close to my office. She often packed lunch, like lamprais, but in a hot box and in the evenings she packed palappams for an early dinner. It was pure bliss! This Brinjal curry is a default component in any Lankan spread and goes perfectly well with meat, fish or vegetable curries. The same recipe can be applied to plantain, bottle gourd, snake gourd and Lady’s finger/okra. In this recipe, I have used a combination of both brinjal and plantains. This dish is an epitome of simplicity and time and again keeps reminding me of how simple, limited ingredients can bring great taste to a plate. With no further rant, recipe below! 

Spliced brinjal and plantain simmered in rich creamy coconut milk and topped off with a fragrant tempering!

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Ingredients

• Brinjal – 3

• Plantain - 1

• Coconut milk – thin 2 cups; thick 1 cup

• Tumeric powder – ½ tsp

• Salt – to taste

For tempering

• Mustard – ¼ tsp

• Oil – 2 tsps

• Sombu/Fennel seeds/Saunf – ¼ tsp

• Curry leaves – 1 sprig

• Shallots – 4 peeled and spliced

• Dried red chilly – 2 broken 

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Method,

1. Cut Brinjal and Plantain into medium sized pieces. Do not chop them to fine pieces as they tend to mash after being cooked.

2. In a pan add the cut vegetables, green chillies, turmeric, salt, and the thin coconut milk (enough to immerse the contents). Bring to a gentle simmer.

3. Cover and cook until the vegetables are soft and mushy.

4. Add in the thick coconut milk. Stir and let cook for 1 minute. Do not overcook at this point ad the milk might curdle or split. Turn off the heat.

5. In a separate pan add oil and all the ingredients for tempering with mustard going in first. Fry till the onions are deep brown in color. Pour tempering in the curry and serve hot.

*Notes

• For an oil free version, omit the tempering. It will still taste creamy and delicious.

• As noted above the following vegetables can be used in place of brinjal: lady’s finger, plantain, bottle gourd, snake gourd, white pumpkin, chow chow / chayote, and cabbage.

• If using canned coconut milk, you can dilute some with two parts of water for the thin milk.