Ennai Kathirikaiஎண்ணை கத்திரிக்காய்

Name: Ennai Kathirikai
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chettinad
Ingredients: 8–10 small Indian brinjals (baby eggplant) — kathirikai; 3 tbsp sesame oil (gingelly oil) — nallennai; 1 lime-sized ball tamarind — puli — soaked in ½ cup warm water; 1 small onion, roughly chopped; 1 tomato, chopped; 2 tsp coriander seeds — dhaniya; 1 tsp cumin seeds — seeragam; 3 + 2 dried red chillies (Kashmiri + regular); ½ tsp black peppercorns — milagu; 1 tsp chana dal; 1 tsp urad dal — ulutham paruppu; 10 curry leaves — karuveppilai; 2 tbsp fresh grated coconut; ½ tsp fennel seeds — sombu; ¼ tsp turmeric — manjal; to taste salt; ½ tsp mustard seeds — kadugu; 6–8 curry leaves; 1 medium onion, finely sliced; 1 tomato, chopped

⏱ Prep 25m🍳 Cook 35m🍽 Serves 4🌿 Vegan

Video: Madras Samayal (YouTube)

Chettinad cuisine earns its reputation for complexity here: small brinjals slashed and stuffed with a pungent spice paste, then slow-fried in sesame oil until the skins wrinkle and the masala caramelises. The final tamarind gravy pulls everything into a deep, smoky kulambu — the kind that improves overnight and perfumes the whole kitchen as it simmers.

📍 Make it in Plano

This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.

Finding Desi spots near Plano…

Ingredients

▪small Indian brinjals (baby eggplant) — kathirikai8–10
▪sesame oil (gingelly oil) — nallennai3 tbsp
▪tamarind — puli — soaked in ½ cup warm water1 lime-sized ball
For the stuffing
▪onion, roughly chopped1 small
▪tomato, chopped1
▪coriander seeds — dhaniya2 tsp
▪cumin seeds — seeragam1 tsp
▪dried red chillies (Kashmiri + regular)3 + 2
▪black peppercorns — milagu½ tsp
▪chana dal1 tsp
▪urad dal — ulutham paruppu1 tsp
▪curry leaves — karuveppilai10
▪fresh grated coconut2 tbsp
▪fennel seeds — sombu½ tsp
▪turmeric — manjal¼ tsp
▪saltto taste
For the curry base
▪mustard seeds — kadugu½ tsp
▪curry leaves6–8
▪onion, finely sliced1 medium
▪tomato, chopped1

🌍 Cooking abroad? Substitutions

Small Indian brinjals (baby eggplant) — look for them at Indian or Asian supermarkets; Japanese eggplant cut into 4 cm chunks is the best substitute; Italian globe eggplant also works but loses the visual drama of the whole stuffed brinjal.
Sesame oil (gingelly oil) — this is structural to Chettinad cooking; find it at Indian grocers or in the Asian-foods aisle. Plain toasted sesame oil (the dark Asian variety) is NOT the same; use light/untoasted gingelly oil or fall back to sunflower oil.
Fresh grated coconut — frozen grated coconut (from the Indian grocer freezer section) is excellent; desiccated coconut rehydrated in warm water for 10 min works at a pinch but has less body.

Method

1Dry-roast coriander seeds, cumin, peppercorns, dried red chillies, chana dal, urad dal, and fennel seeds in a dry pan until fragrant (3–4 min); cool completely.
2Grind roasted spices with onion, tomato, coconut, turmeric, and salt to a coarse thick paste — this is the stuffing.
3Slit each brinjal into quarters from the base, keeping the stem intact; stuff each generously with the paste.
4Heat sesame oil in a wide pan; arrange stuffed brinjals in a single layer; cook covered on low heat 8–10 min, turning once gently, until skins blister and masala caramelises.
5Remove brinjals carefully; to the same oil add mustard seeds and curry leaves and let them crackle.
6Add sliced onion; fry until golden. Add chopped tomato; cook 5 min.
7Squeeze tamarind juice into the pan; add any remaining stuffing paste; simmer 8–10 min until the gravy thickens.
8Gently return the brinjals; spoon gravy over them; cook covered on low heat 5 min. Adjust salt and tamarind. Serve with steamed rice.

A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.