BIRYANI KATHIRIKAI

Biryani kathirikai is a delicious South Indian dish made with eggplant(kathirikai), tamarind puree and few other spices. It has a mild spicy flavour to it. This dish is often served as a side dish along with onion raita for biryani.

Biryani kathirikai goes really well with both vegetarian and non vegetarian biryani. Biryani kathirikai can also be paired with chapathi, rotis, parathas, pulao or even fried rice.

Biryani kathirikai has so many variations. It varies based on the spices added to it. For any biryani kathirikai, a special masala is prepared which gives the flavour to the recipe. Sesame seeds and peanuts are the main ingredient for the masala.

ABOUT THE RECIPE:

The recipe in this blog is a typical Chennai style biryani kathirikai. This variety of biryani kathirikai is made with onions and tomatoes. I’ve used graffiti eggplant for this recipe. This variety of eggplant will be little hard and can hold its shape. It doesn’t really turns mushy. But, any kind of eggplant can be used for this recipe.

INGREDIENTS FOR BIRYANI KATHIRIKAI:

FOR MASALA:

• PEANUTS – 2 TBSP
• WHITE SESAME SEEDS – 1 TBSP
• FENUGREEK SEEDS – 1/2 TSP

MAIN INGREDIENTS:

• EGGPLANT – 250 GMS
• ONIONS (MEDIUM SIZE/DICED) – 2 NOS.
• TOMATOES (MEDIUM SIZE/DICED) – 1 NOS.
• TAMARIND – LEMON SIZE (SOAK IT IN WATER FOR 20 MINUTES)
• PEANUT AND SESAME SEEDS PASTE
• CHILLY POWDER – 1 TBSP
• CORIANDER POWDER – 1 TSP
• GINGER GARLIC PASTE – 1 TSP
• SALT – AS REQUIRED
• PEPPERCORNS – 1/2 TSP
• FENNEL SEEDS – 1/2 TSP
• CUMIN SEEDS – 1/2 TSP
• MUSTARD SEEDS – 1/2 TSP
• GREEN CHILLIES – 2 NOS.
• CURRY LEAVES – 10~15 NOS.
• SALT – AS REQUIRED
• OIL – 1/2 CUP

HOW TO MAKE BIRYANI KATHIRIKAI:

• Cut and soak the eggplant in water until you start to cook.

• Soak the tamarind in water for 30 minutes. Squeeze it and extract the puree.

• Heat a kadai and add the peanuts to it. Roast it until the peanuts turn crunchy. Once it turns crunchy, transfer it to a plate.

• To the same kadai, add the sesame seeds and fenugreek seeds to it and roast it until it turns light golden brown in color. Then transfer it to the same plate.

• After it cools down completely, transfer it to a blender. Add little water and blend it into a fine paste.

• In the same kadai, add 2 tbsp of oil to it. Add the chopped eggplant to it and fry them until the eggplant turns soft.

• Once it turns soft, transfer it to a plate. Do not overcook.

• To the same kadai, add 1/2 cup of oil. Once it is heated add the fennel seeds and peppercorns to it.

• Once the peppercorns start to fry, add the green chillies and curry leaves to it.

• Add the chopped onions and salt to it. Saute it until it turns translucent.

• Once it turns translucent, add the ginger garlic paste to it. Saute it for a second.

• Turn the flame to medium-low and then add the chilly powder and coriander powder to it and mix them well.

• Let it cook for 1 minute and then add the diced tomatoes to it. Cook it until the tomatoes turn soft and mushy.

• Once the tomatoes turn soft and mushy, add the fried eggplant to it.

• Add 2 cups of water to it. Mix them well and let it boil for 1 minute.

• After it starts to boil, add the blended paste to it.

• Mix it well. Let it boil for a minute.

• Then add the tamarind puree to it. Mix it. Add little water if it’s too thick.

• Once it starts to boil, cover it with the lid and turn the flame to medium-low.

• Let it cook on medium-low for 10 minutes or until the oil oozes out. Once the oil oozes out, turn off the flame.

YUMMY AND DELICIOUS BIRYANI KATHIRIKAI IS READY.

SERVE IT WITH ANY BIRYANI, PULAO, CHAPATHI OR ROTIS.

I HAD IT WITH CHICKEN BIRYANI, ONION RAITA, AND CHICKEN PAKORA.

BIRYANI KATHIRIKAI

Recipe by foodpassion1513Course: Uncategorized

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Calories

250

kcal

Biryani kathirikai is a delicious South Indian dish made with eggplant(kathirikai), tamarind puree and few other spices. It has a mild spicy flavour to it. This dish is often served as a side dish along with onion raita for biryani.
Biryani kathirikai goes really well with both vegetarian and non vegetarian biryani. Biryani kathirikai can also be paired with chapathi, rotis, parathas, pulao or even fried rice.
Biryani kathirikai has so many variations. It varies based on the spices added to it. For any biryani kathirikai, a special masala is prepared which gives all the flavour. Sesame seeds and peanuts are the main ingredient for the masala.

Ingredients

• FOR MASALA:

• PEANUTS – 2 TBSP

• WHITE SESAME SEEDS – 1 TBSP

• FENUGREEK SEEDS – 1/2 TSP

• MAIN INGREDIENTS:

• EGGPLANT – 250 GMS

• ONIONS (MEDIUM SIZE/DICED) – 2 NOS.

• TOMATOES (MEDIUM SIZE/DICED) – 1 NOS.

• TAMARIND – LEMON SIZE (SOAK IT IN WATER FOR 20 MINUTES)

• PEANUT AND SESAME SEEDS PASTE

• CHILLY POWDER – 1 TBSP

• CORIANDER POWDER – 1 TSP

• GINGER GARLIC PASTE – 1 TSP

• SALT – AS REQUIRED

• PEPPERCORNS – 1/2 TSP

• FENNEL SEEDS – 1/2 TSP

• CUMIN SEEDS – 1/2 TSP

• MUSTARD SEEDS – 1/2 TSP

• GREEN CHILLIES – 2 NOS.

• CURRY LEAVES – 10~15 NOS.

• SALT – AS REQUIRED

• OIL – 1/2 CUP

Directions

• HOW TO MAKE BIRYANI KATHIRIKAI:
• Soak the tamarind in water for 30 minutes. Squeeze it and extract the puree.
• Heat a kadai and add the peanuts to it. Roast it until the peanuts turn crunchy. Once it turns crunchy, transfer it to a plate.
• To the same kadai, add the sesame seeds and fenugreek seeds to it and roast it until it turns light golden brown in color. Then transfer it to the same plate.
• After it cools down completely, transfer it to a blender. Add little water and blend it into a fine paste.
• In the same kadai, add 2 tbsp of oil to it. Add the chopped eggplant to it and fry them until the eggplant turns soft.
• Once it turns soft, transfer it to a plate.
• To the same kadai, add 1/2 cup of oil. Once it is heated add the fennel seeds and peppercorns to it.
• Once the peppercorns start to fry, add the green chillies and curry leaves to it.
• Add the chopped onions and salt to it. Saute it until it turns translucent.
• Once it turns translucent, add the ginger garlic paste to it. Saute it for a second.
• Turn the flame to medium-low and then add the chilly powder and coriander powder to it and mix them well.
• Let it cook for 1 minute and then add the diced tomatoes to it. Cook it until the tomatoes turn soft and mushy.
• Once the tomatoes turn soft and mushy, add the fried eggplant to it.
• Add 2 cups of water to it. Mix them well and let it boil for 1 minute.
• After it starts to boil, add the blended paste to it.
• Mix it well. Let it boil for a minute.
• Then add the tamarind puree to it. Mix it. Add little water if it’s too thick.
• Once it starts to boil, cover it with the lid and turn the flame to medium-low.
• Let it cook on medium-low for 10 minutes or until the oil oozes out. Once the oil oozes out, turn off the flame.
• YUMMY AND DELICIOUS BIRYANI KATHIRIKAI IS READY.