“Iru Puli Kizhambu” is a typical Tamil Brahmin Recipe, using both butter milk and tamarind. The mix of these two sour (puli) tasting ingredients in this recipe gets its name.  It’s tangy gravy with a mix of spice goes very well with rice, especially for sour loving people. There are many ways of making iru puli kuzhambu and the one which I used routinely is given below.

Ingredients

1. Brinjal (Egg Plant)  : 15
2. Green chilli   : 2
3. Yogurt   : 2 Cups
4. Hing/ asfoetida      : A pinch

For grinding:-

1. Grated coconut : 1 Cup
2. Coriander powder     : 2 T sp.
3. Chilli powder  : 4 T sp.
4. Turmeric powder      : ¼ T sp.
5. Fenugreek seeds      : ¼ T sp.
6. Tamarind : Gooseberry size

For seasoning :-

1. Mustard seeds  : 1 T sp.
2. Fenugreek seeds      : 5
3. Curry leaves   : 2 sprigs
4. Dried red chilly     : 3

Method

• Cut the brinjals in a cube shape (see figure).
• Mix the yogurt into a smooth paste. (Don’t add water).
• Cook the brinjals along with green chilly in a pan / kadai adding water that immerse brinjals.
• Grind the grinding ingredients in a smooth paste.
• Once the brinjals are cooked (takes about 10 min in medium flame),add the ground paste into the cooked brinjals ( don’t smashe the brinjal).
• Let the entire mix boil for another 4-5 minutes or until the raw smells gone.
• Reduce the flame to very low and pour the butter milk and keep on stirring.
• Add the asfoetida and let it wait for another one minute and remove the pan from the fire.
• Keep another kadai/pan on the stove and pour the oil and let it hot.
• Add the mustard seeds along with fenugreek seeds allow it to splutter.
• Add the red chilli and curry leaves.
• Add the same into the cooked brinjal mix.