Badanekai Ennegai (Spicy Coconut Stuffed Aubergine)

What is Ennegai?


Ingredients
Putta Badanekai (Baby Aubergine): 1 kg
Enne (Oil): 3-4 tbsp


for Roasting & Grinding
Thenginakai (Coconut): 1 cup (grated)
Ona Menasu (Dried Red Chillies): 3-4
Kothambari Beeja (Coriander Seeds): 1 tsp
Jeerige (Cumin Seeds): 1 tsp
Menthe (Fenugreek Seeds): 1/2 tsp
Huli (Tamarind): a marble-sized piece
Bella (Jaggary): a small piece
Uppu (Salt): to taste
Enne (Oil): 1 tsp



Method
Make 2 slits on the Aubergines such that it has 4 sections with its stalk still holding it intact. In a wide  pan/wok, roast in oil the ingredients in set 2. Grind them and Fill them into the slits made in the Aubergines. Heat oil again in the wide pan/wok and place the aubergines in it. Shallow fry them in a low flame until they are cooked inside and the outer layer has turned a bit crispy. Serve hot with chapati, rotti or rice.

Variation 

• If baby aubergines are not readily available, use the bigger one, chopped. Saute them in oil and add the ground paste at the end. Saute further 5 mins.
• This recipe can be made with Bendekai (Okra), Green Beans, DoNNE Menasu (Capsicum), etc.
• For Hagalkai (Bitter Gourd) version, boil chopped pieces in water, jaggary and tamarind until all the water has evaporated. This removes the bitterness. Grind rest of the ingredients and follow the same recipe.

Puliyogare (Tamarind Rice)

What is Puliyogare?

Ingredients
Anna (cooked Rice):  2 cups
HuLi (Tamarind): a tennis ball sized piece
Bella (Jaggary): a lemon sized piece
Karibevu (Curry Leaves): 5-6
Kadalekai (Ground Nut): 1 handful
Saasive (Mustard Seeds): 1 tsp
Yellu (Sesame Seeds): 1 tsp
Uddina BeLe (Black Gram Lentil): 1 tsp 
Neeru (Water): 1 cup
Enne (Oil): 1/2 cup
Uppu (Salt): to taste

for Roasting and Powdering
Yellu (Sesame Seeds): 4 tsp
Jeerige (Cumin Seeds): 2 tsp
Saasive (Mustard Seeds): 2 tsp
Kothambari Beeja (Coriander Seeds): 2 tsp
Ona Menasu (Dried Red Chillies):  3-4
Kobbari (Dried Coconut): 1 cup (grated)
Uddina BeLe (Black Gram Lentil): 1 tsp
Kadale BeLe (Bengal Gram Lentil): 1 tsp


Method
Roast (one by one) and powder (together) the ingredients in set 2. In a saucepan/wok, heat oil and add mustard seeds, sesame seeds, lentil, curry leaves, groundnut, and saute till they are golden. Add water, tamarind, jaggary, salt and boil. When dissolved, add the powder and boil till it reduces to a paste. This paste can be stored in a air-tight container for a long time. 

When required, mix some of the paste with the rice and serve hot or cold.

Variation: for an exotic version, add roasted cashewnuts!

MeNaskai (Fruits in Sweet and Sour Coconut Gravy)

MeNaskai is a coconut based gravy that is sweet and sour. The recipe is very similar to Koddel, the only variation is 2 tsp Ellu (Sesame Seeds) is added while roasting the masala paste. The sweetness in the gravy is mainly due to using fruits like ripe mango or pineapple, hagalkai (bitter gourd) chunks or Kudane/Kustikai (mini Aubergines) can be used in place of fruits. 

Koddel (Vegetables in Sweet, Sour and Spicy Coconut Gravy)

Koddel is Vegetables in Sweet, Sour and Spicy Coconut Gravy. Koddel can be made with different vegetables, popular ones are: Kumblakai (Pumpkin), Hagalkai (Bitter Gourd), BaLekai (unripe Plantain), Green Beans, Badanekai (Aubergines), Bendekai (Okra), Mangalore Southekai, Kudane/Kustikai (mini Aubergines), etc. 

Ingredients
Tharakari (Vegetable): 1 cup (chopped)
Huli (Tamarind): a marble-sized piece
Bella (Jaggary): a small piece
Water: 1 cup
Salt: to taste

for Roasting & Grinding
Tenginakai (Coconut): 1 cup (grated)
Ona Menasu (Dried Red Chillies): 3-4
Kothambari Beeja (Coriander Seeds): 1 tsp
Jeerige (Cumin Seeds): 1 tsp
Uddina BeLe (Black Lentils): 1 tsp
Menthe (Fenugreek Seeds): 1/2 tsp
Enne (Oil): 1 tsp

for Oggarane/Tempering
Saasive (Mustard Seeds): 1 tsp
Karibevu (Curry Leaves): 4-5
Enne (Oil): 1 tsp

Method
Boil the vegetable pieces jaggary, tamarind and salt in a saucepan of water till the water dries up. In a  small pan, roast in oil the ingredients in set 2. Grind them and add it to the Koddel adding more water to desired consistency and simmer for 10 mins. Heat oil again in the small pan and add oggarane ingredients to it. Pour this over the Koddel just before serving.

Punarpuli/Kokum Saaru (a very hot, sweet and sour Soup)

What is Saaru?               What is Punarpuli?

Ingredients 

dried skin of Punarpuli: 4-5 pieces

Bella (Jaggary): a small piece or Sakkare (Sugar): 2 tsp 

Neeru (Water): 4 cups

Uppu (Salt): to taste

for Oggarane/Tempering

Neerulli (Onion): 1 (chopped)

Jeerige (Cumin seeds): 2 tsp

Ona Menasu (Dried Red Chillies): 1 (broken into bits)

Thuppa (Ghee): 2 tsp

Method

Boil the Punarpuli skin, jaggary, salt & water in a saucepan for 10 mins. Heat a small pan and dry roast the cumin seeds. Powder it and add to the boiling saaru. Heat the ghee in the small pan and fry the red chilli bits & onions till golden. Pour this over the Saaru just before serving.

Tomato BeLe Saaru (Spicy Tomato and Lentil soup)

What is Saaru?

Ingredients
Tomato: 2 (chopped)
Togari BeLe (Yellow Lentil): 1 handful
Saarina Pudi (Saaru Powder): 1 tsp
Bella (Jaggary): a small piece or Sugar: 1tsp

Kothambari Soppu (Coriander leaves): few strands (chopped)
Huli (Tamarind): a marble-sized piece
Neeru (Water): 2 cups
Uppu (Salt): to taste

for Oggarane/Tempering
Saasive (Mustard Seeds): 1 tsp
Jeerige (Cumin Seeds): 1 tsp
Hingu (Asafoetida): 1 pinch
Karibevu (Curry Leaves): 4-5
Enne/Thuppa (Oil/Ghee): 1tsp


 Method
Boil the above ingredients in a pressure cooker (3 whistles) or simmer in a saucepan for 30 mins. Heat oil/ghee in a small pan and add oggarane ingredients to it. Pour this over the saaru just before serving.