Brinjal coriander sambar/Baingan dhania sambar

Sambars are a must, especially in south Indian homes. While coriander adds flavor, brinjals are good for those who don’t want to put on weight. Our personal favorite, we probably can’t say more.

Serves: 2

Preparation time: 20-25mins

Ingredients:

Medium sized round brinjals 5
Fresh coriander (kothimeera) 1 bunch
Tamarind 1 blob
Cumin seeds (jeera/jeelakarra) 1 tsp
Green chillies 2
Pigeon peas (toordal/kandipappu) 1cup(50-75gms)
Sambar powder 2tsp
Ghee 1tsp
Mustard seeds 1tsp
Curry leaves 5
Pinch of asafoetida (Hing)
Salt to taste

Method:

We have used small round green brinjals. The purple or white ones will also taste great.

Cut the brinjals, add 2 glasses of water and leave to boil in a cooking pot. Pressure cook the pigeon peas.

Grind to fine paste: 1 bunch coriander, 2 green chillies, 1 tsp cumin seeds and 1tsp tamarind paste/1 blob of tamarind as available and a pinch of salt.

Add the coriander paste to the brinjals and leave to boil till the brinjals are soft and cooked.

Add 2 tsp sambar powder and 1 cup pressure cooked pigeon peas and boil for 5-8 mins.

In a pan, heat ghee. Add mustard seeds and as the splutter, add curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida.

Season the sambar with the above tempering.

Brinjal coriander sambar is a rice supplement, and tastes good when mixed with ghee topped plain white rice and fryums to munch or lime pickle.