Kathirikkai Sadam (Brinjal Rice)

There are different ways of doing this item. I too used to do it in a laborious way until I tasted a very tasty and easy recipe in Sathya’s house. Sathya my neighbor who may be known to my readers through my blog on sathya aunty’s rasam is good in cooking and provides me with some interesting recipes.
When we are short of much vegetables or time or interest, then this is an excellent choice. The same recipe can be used for capsicum and some other vegetables also. Try out with some more vegetable available in your area. Kopra or dried coconut is best suited for this recipe. Here in India only in Andhra we get this easily. If kopra is not available grated coconut can be used and sauted well.

Ingredients
Cooked rice-2 cups (don’t over cook .cook like you cook for tamarind or lemon rice)
Brinjal -1/4 kg
Tomato-1
Onion-1
Curry leaf –little
Coriander leaf –little
Ingredients for the masal powder
Red chilies -10
Coconut-2 table spoons or kopra
Urudh dhal-2 table spoons
Channa dhal ( kadalai paruppu)-2 table spoons
Dhania (coriander seeds)-1 teaspoon
Cinnamon-a small piece
Clove-2
Fenugreek ( vendayam )-1/2 teaspoon
Procedure to make the powder
In little ghee or oil first roast the chilies and keep apart. Then sauté everything adding one by one in the order in which it is given. No need to fry it till red. Switch off when you feel it is roasted. In a mixie powder it and store it.
Procedure
Keep the kadai in the stove. In a table spoon of oil and ghee mixed, season with a small piece of cinnamon, clove and curry leaf. Add the minced tomato and onion and sauté. Add the brinjal pieces too and sauté in low fire adding salt and turmeric powder. Make sure that brinjal pieces don’t get over cooked. Stay near the stove and sauté. If necessary sprinkle some water. If you close the kadai for a minute, it will get cooked fast. Once you feel that the brinjal pieces are cooked, add the masal powder and mix well. Mean time transfer the rice to a flat bowl. Add little ghee or oil and little salt to the rice and allow it to cool. Once you feel the rice is not very hot add the rice into the kadai or the brinjal into the vessel and mix well in such a way that the rice or brinjal pieces do not get smashed. Garnish with coriander leaves. Heat the rice in a microwave or kadai while serving
You can prepare this powder in lots during weekends and can store .Then making this rice will only be a few minutes job.

+