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A bowl of brinjal curry is on the surface.
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5 from 15 votes

South Indian Eggplant Curry (Brinjal Recipe)

Elevate your taste buds with this traditional South Indian brinjal curry, made with roasted eggplant and a flavorful coconut masala. A must-try for any curry lover!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time22 minutes
Total Time32 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Diet: Vegan
Allergen: Dairy free, Gluten free
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 4
Calories: 308kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Wash the brinjal, chop it lengthwise, place the eggplant pieces in a large water bowl for about 10 minutes, and drain the water.
    8-10 baby eggplants
  • Drizzle coconut oil in a pan over medium heat. When the oil heats up, add the drained brinjal slices in a single layer, and saute them for 2-3 minutes.
    2 tablespoon coconut oil
  • Add turmeric powder, tamarind pulp water(soak the lemon-sized tamarind in the water for 10 minutes), jaggery, and salt and continue to saute them for two more minutes and cover with a lid.
    1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 tablespoon tamarind, 1 tablespoon grated jaggery, Salt to taste
  • Meanwhile, blend the grated coconut with coriander seeds, cumin, rice, and red chilies with ¾ cup water to a fine consistency.
    ½ cup grated coconut, 2 tablespoon coriander seeds, 2 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 tablespoon rice, 5-6 red chilies
  • Add the ground masala base to the sauteed Brinjal and cook for 10 minutes on low flame.
  • Prepare tempering:  Heat oil in a small pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, urad dal, one red chili halved, and fresh curry leaves. Once they start spluttering, pour this tempering over the cooked eggplant.
    1 teaspoon mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon split black gram, 5 curry leaves
  • Serve brinjal fry hot with steamed rice or roti for a delicious South Indian meal!

Notes

  • Make sure to use fresh coconut for the best flavor. You can also use frozen grated coconut if fresh is not available.
  • Adjust the number of red chilies according to your spice preference. If the dish turns out too spicy, add a teaspoon of lemon juice
  • Allow the brinjal to soak in water before cooking to reduce its bitter taste.
  • Use a heavy-bottomed pan for even cooking and better flavors.
  • Its important to use coconut oil to get the authentic flavor.

Nutrition

Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 23mg | Potassium: 1376mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 705IU | Vitamin C: 117mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 4mg