Brinjal Vathakkal
Brinjal fry or Kathirikai Vathakkal is a South Indian style stirfry recipe, prepared with small purple brinjals and few spices. Learn this brinjal sabzi with video/pictures.
Brinjal is a versatile vegetable, which can be customized into a variety of different recipes. And one of the south delicacies is this kathirikai Vathakkal or Kathirikai pirattal. Make this with any small variety brinjal like purple brinjal and green brinjal. Just make sure they are fresh to avoid the bitter old taste. Read further down to check the freshness of the brinjals.
How to serve?
You can prepare this brinjal fry in just twenty minutes and serve it as a side dish for dosa, chapati and curd rice. Similarly, this brinjal Vathakkal is a very good match for plain hot rice. Serve with hot rice topped with ghee or gingelly oil and this kathiri vathakkal alongside a poricha appalam, best for a simply tasty meal. In fact, this goes very well with tempered curd rice and rasam rice.
Also, the texture of this brinjal pirattal would be a soft semi curry type. And the masalas used are common kitchen items, which we use regularly red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Sometimes, I just sprinkle idli podi(dal gun powder for idli) for extra taste while finishing this Brinjal fry.
I know many of us don’t like the texture and taste of brinjal…My son is one of you guys who dislike brinjals heavily. But as a house rule, no vegetable should be avoided just because they don’t like 😉 in my home.
Now I had to find ways to make him like it for the goodness it contains like extensive vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, thiamine, niacin, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, copper, fiber, folic acid, potassium, and more!
I have to literally hide it or sneak it in some magical ways for him to not find it in his meal. If you are an Indian, a good choice is Brinjal kosthu in which kids can not find it is brinjal, I tell him it is tomato 😉
A western choice can be Veg gratin, originally a french recipe where you can sneak in many veggies for your kids in the cheesy white sauce bed.
How to check the freshness of the Brinjal?
- The stem should look green and strong and no wilted brown look.
- When you press the core flesh should be soft to touch. If it is hard the brinjal is old, don’t use it.
- There should not be any brown spoiled brown patches on the skin.
- While cutting, the feel will be like cutting potato, soft and smooth, white inside without any spoiled spot.
For most of the quick vathakkal recipes, I always try to use basic household masala powders like chilli, sambar powder, turmeric, coriander and garam powder. And for your information, I always grind ginger and garlic paste ahead and keep it in the refrigerator for a week’s use. These are handy during busy mornings and while packing lunch boxes. Who likes to make extensive frying and grinding masala types in the hustle-bustle. Of course, those luxuries can be enjoyed for a relaxed dinner or weekends.
Similar quick lunch box recipes like Brinjal fry:
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Brinjal fry | Kathirikai vathakkal | Kathirikkai pirattal
Equipment
- Frying pan
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp gingelly oil
- 6 no. Brinjal
- ½ tsp mustard
- ½ tsp cumin
- 1 big onion
- Few curry leaves
- 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 2 small tomatoes
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 cup water
Instructions
Preparation:
- Chop washed brinjals into small pieces and put them in water to avoid discoloration and oxidation.
- Cut onions and tomatoes.
Recipe:
- Heat a pan with oil, season with mustard and cumin seeds.
- Let the mustard splutter and add chopped onions.
- Saute onions to translucent state and add ginger garlic paste with curry leaves.
- Fry ginger garlic paste continuously until the raw flavor goes off.
- Add chopped tomatoes with required salt for the masala and cook them to soft texture.
- Now put turmeric powder and chilli powder.
- Add the brinjal pieces and mix well.
- Pour some water, cover and cook the vegetable.
- Usually, brinjal gets cooked fast. So in 5-10 minutes, the brinjals become soft.
- Switch off and serve with hot rice or dosa.
Video
Notes
- Use gingelly oil for extra taste.
- If you don’t like ginger garlic paste, you can avoid using it.
- Finally, as an optional ingredient, sprinkle few pinches of pepper powder at last before switching off.
Nutrition
Preparation:
- Chop washed brinjals into small pieces and put them in water to avoid discoloration and oxidation.
- Cut onions and tomatoes.
Recipe to make Brinjal Vathakkal:
- Heat a pan with oil, season with mustard and cumin seeds.
- Let the mustard splutter and add chopped onions.
- Saute onions to translucent state and add ginger garlic paste with curry leaves. Fry ginger garlic paste continuously until the raw flavor goes off.
- Add chopped tomatoes with the required salt for the masala and cook them to a soft texture.
- Now put turmeric powder and chilli powder. Add the brinjal pieces and mix well.
- Pour some water, cover and cook the vegetable.
- Usually, brinjal gets cooked fast. So in 5-10 minutes, the brinjals become soft.
- Switch off and serve with hot rice or dosa.
Tips:
- Use gingelly oil for extra taste.
- If you don’t like ginger garlic paste, you can avoid using it. Only garlic bits also blend well in this masala.
- Finally, as an optional ingredient, sprinkle few pinches of pepper powder at last before switching off. A lavish sprinkle of idli powder is also a good choice.
