Delicious South-Indian style stuffed brinjal recipe aka ennai kathirikai in Tamil. A spicy brinjal curry stuffed with freshly ground masala that pairs well with mor kuzhambu, avial, and rasam!
As I mentioned in my bagara baingan recipe post, I am participating in the monthly blogging marathon like before. This week’s theme is “one ingredient in different ways,” and my pick is brinjal. After bagara baingan and air fryer brinjal roast, here is my third and most favorite recipe – ennai kathirikai or stuffed brinjals.
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Ennai means oil, and kathirikai means baby eggplants/brinjal in Tamil. Even though we don’t use much oil, I am not sure why we call it ennai kathirikai. There is another popular dish in Tamil Nadu called ennai kathirikai kuzhambu, and this recipe is entirely different from it. We stuff the brinjals with the freshly-ground spice mix. And we also have a special kathirikai podi curry where we prepare a freshly ground mix, but we don’t stuff the brinjals in that! I know there is a lot of brinjal recipes, and all are unique and delicious, folks!
I love stuffed vegetables. You can find stuffed okra and mushroom recipes on my blog, and I am adding one more stuffed vegetable recipe to that list.
The recipe might sound a bit involving, but once you get the brinjal cooking time right, it’s a breeze. When I can do it, I am sure you can do it.
Step involved
The recipe involves three main steps-
- Prepare the stuffing spice mix. It’s a versatile spice mix, and you can also use it in other recipes.
- Prep and stuff the brinjals with the spice mix.
- Cook the brinjals.
Let’s get straight into the ingredient list and the procedure!
Ingredients required
- We need coriander seeds, chana dal, urad dal, asafoetida, dried red chilies, coconut (dry, fresh, or frozen), and salt for the stuffing. Note – we add salt only in the stuffing, so add accordingly.
- We need fresh, tender brinjals. The small purple ones or the graffiti variety ones work well. You can try this with slender and thin purple or green brinjals too.
- To temper, we need 3 tbsp of oil, mustard seeds, and a few curry leaves.
Apart from these we also need water. Please check the recipe card for the detailed measures.
Dietary specifications & serving suggestions
This ennai kathirikai curry is naturally vegan and nut-free. Use gluten-free asafoetida for a gluten-free version. I recommend not skipping asafoetida in this recipe.
As it’s a spicy dry curry, we typically serve it with rice, paruppu rasam, or lemon rasam, or with avial or mor kuzhambu. Rice, avial, and ennai kathirikkai are the combo I grew up eating. :-)
Stuffed brinjal recipe with step-wise pictures
Prepare the stuffing spice-mix | kathirikai podi
- Heat pan or kadai and add coriander seeds, chana dal, urad dal, and dried red chilies.
- Roast over medium-low it until the dals turn light brown, and then add the coconut and asafoetida.
- Roast again until the moisture from the coconut is all gone, and the dals are nicely golden brown.
- Allow this mixture to cool, transfer it to a mixer jar and add salt.
- Grind it coarsely without adding any water and set it aside.
Prep and stuff the brinjals
- Wash the brinjals and pat them dry. Remove the stems and slit them vertically. Make a deep cross like below (¾ of the brinjal) to add enough stuffing masala.
- Depending upon the size of the brinjals, the stuffing measure might vary. Add ½ to 1 tbsp of the prepared stuffing mix like below.
- Similarly, stuff all the brinjals and set them aside.
Cook the stuffed brinjals
- Heat a pan or kadai and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Let the mustard seeds pop. Now add the stuffed brinjals.
- Gently toss them and make sure the eggplants are evenly coated with the oil. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of water and cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes over medium-low heat. Halfway through, remove the lid, add two more tbsps of water, gently mix and cover, and cook again.
- Refer to the collage for how it looks after 10 minutes of cooking.
- After 8 to 10 minutes of cooking, remove the lid add one more tbsp of the spice mix.
- Cook again for 7 to 8 minutes or until the brinjals are well cooked. You can check by piercing one brinjal with a knife or fork. It should be fork/knife tender and not too hard. You can also taste one. :-)
- If needed, cook again for a couple of minutes. And that’s it; stuffed brinjals are ready.
Recipe notes
- I have used frozen coconut, but I thawed it before using it. You can use freshly grated or unsweetened dry coconut as well.
- Also, I used Guntur-byadgi variety chilies. According to the chili variety and your taste preference, adjust the amount.
- As always, adjust the salt to taste.
VVK Tips
- Always cook the brinjals over medium-low heat. Patience is the key here. We need to slow cook the brinjals thoroughly, and if the heat is high, the outside will be cooked, but the inside will still be raw, and trust me, that won’t be pleasant.
- Tender brinjals always cook faster, so constantly keep an eye on the brinjals. Do not leave them unattended for a long time.
- I prefer a cast iron pan over a wok/kadai to spread the brinjals in one layer and cook them all evenly. Do not overcrowd the pan.
Versatile spice-mix
If you notice, the spice mix that I have used is very similar to my arachuvitta sambar masala. The above spice powder is sufficient to fill 15 medium-sized or 20 small-brinjals.
You can use the excess spice mix for making other spicy curries or add it to kootu or sambar.
Variations
My friend makes similar stuffed brinjal, but her stuffing spice mix is slightly different. She includes sesame seeds, black peppercorns, and curry leaves in the spice mix. And she uses tamarind too. I recently shared her version on IG. It’s a video reel. If interested, do check it out.
More eggplant recipes
Eggplants or brinjals are my favorite vegetables, and I have a dedicated category on my blog. Please check the eggplant category link for more eggplant recipes, but here are some popular eggplant recipes loved and enjoyed by the readers.
PS: If you try this ennai kathirikai, please don’t forget to comment and rate this recipe. If you have any questions, please leave a comment, and I will get to it ASAP. Make sure to follow me on my Pinterest for more healthy and delicious ideas! Follow me on Instagram or join my Facebook Group for more recipe updates! You can also sign-up for my newsletter for weekly updates.
📖 Recipe
Ennai Kathirikai | Stuffed Indian Eggplant curry | Stuffed brinjal
Ingredients
Measurement Details: 1 cup = 240ml; 1 tbsp = 15ml; 1 tsp = 5ml;
- 10 small purple brinjals approx 350 grams
To roast and grind
- 3 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp chana dal
- 1 tbsp urad dal
- ½ tsp asafoetida
- ¼ cup coconut if using frozen thaw it to room temperature
- 5 to 6 dried red chilies or to taste
- 1.5 tsp salt or to taste
To temper
- 3 tbsp oil
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 10 curry leaves
Instructions
Prepare the stuffing spice-mix | kathirikai podi
- Heat pan or kadai and add coriander seeds, chana dal, urad dal, and dried red chilies.
- Roast over medium-low it until the dals turn light brown, and then add the coconut and asafoetida.
- Roast again until the moisture from the coconut is all gone, and the dals are nicely golden brown.
- Allow this mixture to cool, transfer it to a mixer jar and add salt.
- Grind it coarsely without adding any water and set it aside.
Prep and stuff the brinjals
- Wash the brinjals and pat them dry. Remove the stems and slit them vertically. Make a deep cross like below (¾ of the brinjal) to add enough stuffing masala.
- Depending upon the size of the brinjals, the stuffing measure might vary. Add ½ to 1 tbsp of the prepared stuffing mix like below.
- Similarly, stuff all the brinjals and set them aside.
Cook the stuffed brinjals
- Heat a pan or kadai and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Let the mustard seeds pop. Now add the stuffed brinjals.
- Gently toss them and make sure the eggplants are evenly coated with the oil. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of water and cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes over medium-low heat. Halfway through, remove the lid, add two more tbsps of water, gently mix and cover, and cook again.
- Here is how it looks after 10 minutes of cooking.
- After 8 to 10 minutes of cooking, remove the lid add one more tbsp of the spice mix.
- Cook again for 7 to 8 minutes or until the brinjals are well cooked. You can check by piercing one brinjal with a knife or fork. It should be fork/knife tender and not too hard. You can also taste one. :-) If needed, cook again for a couple of minutes. And that’s it; stuffed brinjals are ready.
Notes
- I have used frozen coconut, but I thawed it before using it. You can use freshly grated or unsweetened dry coconut as well.
- Also, I used Guntur-byadgi variety chilies. According to the chili variety and your taste preference, adjust the amount.
- As always, adjust the salt to taste.
- Always cook the brinjals over medium-low heat. Patience is the key here. We need to slow cook the brinjals thoroughly, and if the heat is high, the outside will be cooked, but the inside will still be raw, and trust me, that won’t be pleasant.
- Tender brinjals always cook faster, so constantly keep an eye on the brinjals. Do not leave them unattended for a long time.
- I prefer a cast iron pan over a wok/kadai to spread the brinjals in one layer and cook them all evenly. Do not overcrowd the pan.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.
Update Notes: Earlier posted on 2014, now updated with new recipe card with nutritional information, new pictures and more tips.
My mom has a trade mark recipe of her own and it is very similar to what you used. The podi used is slightly different though. Eggplant lover’s paradise is right there :)
Thanks so much Harini.
Ennai katharikai curry is always a hit recipe. Even eggplant haters would love this. Such a versatile podi that can be used in different recipes. Looks absolutely scrumptious.
Thanks Narmadha.
Mouth watering kathrikai curry! A bowl of rasam sadam and this curry is heaven! We love this inour home!
Thanks Radha.
This is such a classic eggplant preparation that is loved by all eggplant lovers. My husband loves eggplants but hates coconut and so, I end up making other stuffing. :)
You can make different stuffings for eggplant. I am sure stuffing without coconut would work too.