Learn with recipes

This a special Chettinad side dish or gravy best suited for Thalicha Idyappam.This is always served with Idyappam in functions. This also goes well with Dosa and idly as it is neither too hot nor too blunt. More important is that the old people in our home usually suggest this as the side dish when somebody at home is recovering after illness.They will tell that it will be good for the non tasty tongue(‘Nakkukku nalla irukkum’) after illness This is very safe for young kids. Those who have started giving solids for their children can use this along with idly. Children will love the little salt and sour taste. As this dish is little watery idly can be smashed in this curry and the children can be fed with a spoon. As the quantity of tamarind, chillies all play an important role in the final outcome of the gravy; I have included the snaps at various stages of cooking.

Ingredients
Brinjal-4
Potato-1
Small onions nicely chopped-20(if not available big onion -1)
Tomato-1 (big)
Green chillies-6
Red chilies-(2)
Tamarind - a very small piece (half the quantity that we use for sambar)
Coriander leaves-2 table spoon
Procedure
Cut the brinjal and potato into 4 pieces each and pressure cook for 8 minutes.
After the pressure goes open the cooker and peel the skin of both brinjal and potato. smash them.

Take 4 cups of water. Dissolve 2 teaspoons salt and the tamarind. Quantity of tamarind is very important. Too much of it will spoil the dish. Then add the smashed portion into the water. Remember that this is a little watery dish .Now keep the kadai in the stove. Add 2 teaspoon cooking oil .Put 1 spoon mustard seed and curry leaf when it cracks, add the green chilies and the red chillie. Don’t worry that it will be too hot. This dish seldom turns hot, however much chilies we add. Then add the onions and finally the tomato pieces. The tomatoes and onions need not get cooked much. Pour the brinjal potato smash mixed water into the kadai. Whe the mixture starts boiling switch off the stove. It need not boil too much. Before serving add the coriander leaves. For children no need to add coriander leaves.