Vazhuthananga Udachathu
Vazhuthananga Udachathu is a delicacy from Kerala where brinjal (eggplant/aubergine) is roasted on a gas stove, the smoky flesh combined with roasted dry chillies, finely chopped shallots, tamarind, and salt, and held together by coconut oil.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 400 grams brinjal aubergine (eggplant)
- 4 kashmiri dry chilies
- 2 dry red chilies
- 1/2 cup shallots finely chopped
- 1/4 lemon-size tamarind
- salt
- coconut oil or olive oil or mustard oil
Instructions
- Wash and pat dry the brinjals (eggplant/aubergine).
- Pierce them with a fork. This will help hot air to escape while roasting.
- Switch on your gas stove and start roasting the brinjals on a medium flame.
- You can roast more than one brinjal depending on the size of the brinjal and the stove burner.
- Get them evenly charred ensuring that they are cooked through.
- Now roast the dry chillies.
- You can use change the number of the hot and Kashmiri chillies depending on how hot you want the final dish to be.
- Warning: Ensure that you don't burn the dry chillies too much. You'll end up sneezing for the rest of the day. Keep the windows open so that the pungent air can go out quickly.
- Place them on a cutting board.
- Let them cool down a bit so that you can hold them.
- Gently peel and discard the charred skin.
- Finely chop the roasted pulp/flesh and transfer to a mixing bowl.
- Now do the same for the roasted chillies.
- Get rid of the charred skin and chop the chillies to small pieces.
- Add to the mixing bowl.
- Add the finely chopped shallots.
- Separate out the tamarind into bits and add to the bowl along with salt.
- Drizzle generously with coconut oil.
- Mix well with your hand.
- Serve fresh. Vazhuthananga Udachathu will go well with rice and curry, or with hot chapati.
Notes
This recipe works well the long, green brinjal (eggplant/aubergine). You can use other varieties as well. The roasting time will increase as the bigger ones will require more time to be cooked through.