BRINGAL CURRY (BRINGAL PITLA)

ORIGIN

'Bringal Curry' popularly known as 'Bringal Pitla' is a favourite dish even for Bringal haters in the down south India(Tamil Nadu) .The Pitla is made with Bringal .It exists from the 19 th century.

INGREDIENTS

Thuvar Dhal - 200 gms. (2 cups)

Red Chillis - 7 pieces

Coriander seeds or Dhaniya - 2 tsps.

Bengal Grams - 1 tsp.

Tamarind - a small lemon sized ball of tamarind

Bringal - 150 gms.

Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup;

Salt - 2 tsps.

Oil - 4 tsps.

PROCEDURE

Step 1:Add 2 cups of water to 200 gms. of Thuvar Dhal and heat it in a pressure cooker for 20 minutes.Keep it aside.

Step 2:Slice the bringal into thin long pieces.Now,dissolve the lemon sized ball of tamarind in one cup of water (mix well).Keep it aside.

Step 3:Add 2 tsps of Oil to the kadai(frying pan).Now heat it and add the sliced bringal pieces and fry them in the pan for 5 minutes.Add the tamarind water into the pan,salt to taste and heat until it boils.

Step 4:Now,take another pan and add 1 tsp. of oil ,coriander seeds,red chillis,boiled bengal gram dhal , grated coconut and fry them for 5 minutes.Then,grind this mixture in a mixer-grinder to make a coarse paste.

Step 5:Now,add this paste into the boiling tamarind water with bringal slices and boil for 10 minutes.After 10 minutes, keep it aside.

Step 6:Take a tsp. full of oil and add mustard seeds , a pinch of asafoetida and curry leaves and fry until the mustard sputters.Mix this with gravy prepared above.

Step 7:Serve hot with plain rice.