Ennai Kathirikkai Masala, Stuffed Brinjals Masala

Brinjals cooked in a spicy masala – Tamilnadu style. Spicy Ennai Kathirikkai Masala Recipe – Stuffed Brinjals Masala.

This is one of my favorite ways of having brinjal for lunch. I love stuffed brinjals. I have already shared the recipe for Andhra style stuffed brinjals which is another quick and easy recipe. This is Tamilnadu style stuffed brinjal masala.

For the Stuffing Masala Paste Take a pan and add in the peanut oil. Add in the sesame seeds, peanuts and chana dal. Saute on a low flame until the chana dal is slightly golden in colour. Add in the coconut, onion and the tamarind. Add in the dried red chillies. Fry for a minute. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

I added two varieties of red chillies. Byadagi and regular guntur chillies. Byadagi chillies give a bright red colour to the curry and the guntur chillies makes it spicy.

Once the mixture is cool, grind in a small mixie jar to a smooth paste. Add very little water (a couple of tablespoons) and the salt while grinding. We need a thick paste.

Remove 3/4th of the stem from the brinjal. Cut the brinjal in a cross like shown in the picture. Cut only 3/4th of the brinjal in a cross so the brinjal still holds its shape. Stuff the brinjal on the inside with the ground paste. Set aside.

For the Ennai Kathirikkai – Stuffed Brinjals

Heat oil in a pan and add in the stuffed brinjal. Add a cup of water to the remaining ground masala paste to dilute the paste. Add the remaining paste to the pan. Cover the pan with a lid and cook on a low flame for 20 minutes.

Streaks of oil will start floating on the surface after the masala has thickened from cooking. That’s an indication that the masala is well cooked. Add in the curry leaves and the chopped coriander leaves. Mix once and remove from heat.

Serve hot with steaming hot rice and ghee.

For the Stuffing Masala Paste

• 1 teaspoon peanut oil
• 1 tablespoon chana dal
• 1 tablespoon peanut
• 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoon fresh coconut
• 3 dried red chillies (Byadagi or Kashmiri)
• 2 dried red chillies (Gundu milagai or any spicy variety)
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• half a gooseberry size tamarind
• 1 teaspoon salt

Other Ingredients

• 12 small brinjals
• 3 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 sprigs coriander leaves, chopped

For the Stuffing Masala Paste

1. Heat a pan and add in the peanut oil. Add in the sesame seeds, peanuts and chana dal. Saute on a low flame until the chana dal is slightly golden in colour.
2. Add in the coconut, onion and the tamarind. Add in the dried red chillies. Fry for a minute.
3. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
4. Once cool, grind in a small mixie jar to a smooth paste. Add very little water (a couple of tablespoons) and the salt while grinding.

For the Ennai Kathirikkai – Stuffed Brinjals

1. Remove 3/4th of the stem from the brinjal. Cut the brinjal in a cross. Stuff the brinjal on the inside with the ground paste. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add in the stuffed brinjal.
3. Add a cup of water to the remaining ground masala paste to dilute the paste. Add the remaining paste to the pan. Cover the pan with a lid and cook on a low flame for 20 minutes.
4. Add in the curry leaves and the chopped coriander leaves. Mix once and remove from heat.
5. Serve hot with steaming hot rice and ghee.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: South Indian

For the Stuffing Masala Paste

• 1 teaspoon peanut oil
• 1 tablespoon chana dal
• 1 tablespoon peanut
• 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoon fresh coconut
• 3 dried red chillies (Byadagi or Kashmiri)
• 2 dried red chillies (Gundu milagai or any spicy variety)
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• half a gooseberry size tamarind
• 1 teaspoon salt

Other Ingredients

• 12 small brinjals
• 3 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 sprigs coriander leaves, chopped

For the Stuffing Masala Paste

1. Heat a pan and add in the peanut oil. Add in the sesame seeds, peanuts and chana dal. Saute on a low flame until the chana dal is slightly golden in colour.
2. Add in the coconut, onion and the tamarind. Add in the dried red chillies. Fry for a minute.
3. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
4. Once cool, grind in a small mixie jar to a smooth paste. Add very little water (a couple of tablespoons) and the salt while grinding.

For the Ennai Kathirikkai – Stuffed Brinjals

1. Remove 3/4th of the stem from the brinjal. Cut the brinjal in a cross. Stuff the brinjal on the inside with the ground paste. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add in the stuffed brinjal.
3. Add a cup of water to the remaining ground masala paste to dilute the paste. Add the remaining paste to the pan. Cover the pan with a lid and cook on a low flame for 20 minutes.
4. Add in the curry leaves and the chopped coriander leaves. Mix once and remove from heat.
5. Serve hot with steaming hot rice and ghee.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: South Indian

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/ennai-kathirikkai-masala-stuffed-brinjals-masala/

I am always looking for quick and easy dishes to prep up during weekdays where mornings are precious. I am not a morning person at all. Added to that, the cold winter is making the “waking up early in the morning” part even more difficult. There are days where I snooze for an extra 10 minutes and I see myself running in a fast forward mode in the kitchen. I know I am not alone in this. I so look forward to weekends as there is no alarm to be set. Coming back to the recipe, besan chutney (kadalai maavu chutney) is a perfect – easy side dish to make for idli or dosa. It goes well with pooris too. Here is how to make besan chutney – kadalai maavu chutney.

Heat a pan with oil until hot. Add in the mustard seeds, dried red chillies and curry leaves. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add in the asafoetida (hing) and wait for it to bubble up. Add in the sliced onions, finely chopped ginger and green chillies. If you want a spicy chutney, add in more green chillies. Saute the onions for 3-4 minutes until the onions are soft and starting to brown. Add in the turmeric powder and the salt. Saute for 10 seconds.

Add in the chopped tomatoes and saute till the tomatoes are fully cooked and juiced down.

Now we will make a besan slurry. Mix in the besan with two cups of water. I like to add little water at first, make a paste and then add the remaining water. Adding all of the water at once makes it difficult for the besan to mix and lumps will form.

Now add the besan slurry to the pan. Let it simmer for 5-7 minutes.

Serve hot with idli or dosa .

• 2 teaspoon peanut oil
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 2 dried red chillies
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 inch piece ginger, finely minced
• 4 green chillies, slit
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 2 tablespoon besan flour (kadalai maavu)
• 2 cups water

1. Heat a pan with oil until hot. Add in the mustard seeds, dried red chillies and curry leaves. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add in the asafoetida (hing) and wait for it to bubble up. Add in the sliced onions, finely chopped ginger and green chillies. Saute the onions for 3-4 minutes until the onions are soft and starting to brown. Add in the turmeric powder and the salt. Saute for 10 seconds.
2. Add in the chopped tomatoes and saute till the tomatoes are fully cooked and juiced down.
3. Mix in the besan with two cups of water.
4. Add the besan slurry to the pan. Let it simmer for 5-7 minutes.
5. Serve hot with idli or dosa.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Category: Breakfast
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu