Kathirikkai Pachadi/Brinjal and potato gravy(Chettinad)

Kathirikkai Pachadi - Kathirikai pachadi for idli, dosa and upma varieties. Brinjals and potatoes cooked with moong dal and simmered in tamarind extract.The gravy is mild with the goodness of vegetables and is a great alternative for chutneys and sambar. The pachadi is a one pot dish and can be made in the stove -top or instapot.

How to make:

Saute Onion, tomatoes green chillies, potatoes, brinjals in sesame oil seasoned with mustard seeds and cumin seeds and curry leaves. Pressure cook along with moong dal. Simmer the mixture in tamarind extract with turmeric powder and crystal salt added. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Sesame oil or ground oil suits the best for chettinad based dishes. 

Use regular big onions not the shallots. country tomatoes suits the best.

Thin tamarind extract is required.

Fine sea salt or pink salt can also be used.

Accompaniments:

Goes with all the south indian tiffin items and rotis.

Equipments used: 2 ltr or 3 ltr pressure cooker.

Pre - Preparation:

Soak tamarind in 1. 5 cup of warm water. Squeeze and extract thin juice.

Recipe:

Kathrikkai Pachadi

Chettinad Kathrikkai pachadi for idli, dosa and upma varieties.

Total Time Taken: 20 minutes.

No. Of Servings: 4.

1 cup = 200ml.

Ingredients with measurements:

Brinjals - 3 or 4 (medium or small)

Potatoes - 2(medium or small)

Onion - 1(big)

Tomatoes - 2 (medium)

Green chillies - 3 or 4

Tamarind - gooseberry sized 

Moong dal - 1/2 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Water for cooking.

Tempering:

Oil - 2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig.

Garnish:

Coriander Leaves - few sprigs.

Directions with pics:

1. Chop the vegetables.

2. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds, curry leaves

3. When they crackle, add green chillies, onions, tomatoes, potatoes, brinjals. saute well.

4. Add moong dal.

5. Add enough water, to cover vegetables and dals, close the lid, pressure cook for 3 or 4 whistles. Allow to cool down.

6. Open the lid of the cooker, upon cooling down, add tamarind extract, salt and turmeric powder. Cook till raw smell of the tamarind disappears.

7. mash slightly with the back of the ladle. Garnish with coriander leaves.