Kathirikai Kootu

Ingredients:
1/2 kg purple brinjals (small)
2 sprigs curry leaves
1/2 cup red gram dal
a pinch of turmeric powder
a lemon sized ball of tamarind
a small piece of jaggery
1/4 cup coconut gratins
1 tbsp coconut oil
salt to taste

Fry in 1 tsp oil and grind to paste
1 tbsp black gram dal
1/2 tbsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp pepper corns
2-3 red chillies

Adding
1/4 cup coconut gratings

Method:
1. Wash and cut brinjals into medium size pieces.
2. Soak tamarind in water, take out extract; add some more water (if required). Add turmeric powder, curry leaves and salt along with brinjal pieces. Cook on low heat till they turn soft.
3. Cook dal in a pressure cooker; cool and mash thoroughly. Add this to the cooked brinjal.
4. Add ground paste and jaggery and cook all of it for some more time, till gravy is thick.
5. Fry the coconut gratings in coconut oil till they are lightly brown and crisp and add to kootu.

Serve with rice.