Kalchina Vankaaya Pacchadi is a very traditional chutney/dip that tastes best with steamed rice. This is purely a South-Indian cuisine whereas the same kind is prepared in North India too and famously called by the name 'Baingan Bharta'. Though this is again a part of the Panjabi cuisine, more or less the other parts of Northern India, also follow the same style. Here in the dish, 'Kalchina Vankaaya Pacchadi', a dash of tamarind instead of tomatoes are added, which is a major difference to both the northern and southern cuisine of India. Yet another major ingredient, which is added here is the dry red chilies, to impart a mild spicy flavor. Curry leaves, which is an authentic flavored-ingredient of Southern part are a must in any curry for its tantalizing and aromatic flavor. In most of the northern part, green chilies are added along with tomatoes to give a rich spicy-sweet flavor to this curry.
Ingredients:
1. Brinjals/eggplants/Aubergine - 1 no. if it is bigger in size (or 3 to 4 no.s if it is smaller in size).
2. Onions - 1 to 2 nos. (thinly sliced lengthwise)
3. Dry red chillies - 2 broken into half
4. Curry leaves - 1 Spring
5. Tamarind - lemon size (soak the tamarind in water and extract the pulp from it)
6. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
7. Coriander powder - 2 tsp.
8. Chilly powder - 1 tsp.
9. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
10. Salt to taste
11. Oil - 3 tbsp.
Cooking Method:
1. Clean the brinjals with water and pat it dry. Apply some oil on it and allow it to roast on the flame until it is cooked inside and charred to the extent it turns absolute dark. Keep turning the brinjals for the even cooking on all sides.
2. Once the brinjals are roasted on direct flame, let it cool for a while and discard the charred skin of the brinjals, leaving little of the charred skin on it, if you desire the smoky flavor in the curry.
3. Mash the roasted brinjals in a bowl, adding salt, tamarind pulp, turmeric powder, coriander powder and chilly powder.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once it crackles, add curry leaves, red chilies followed by onions. Cook the onions until it slightly changes its color.
5. Add the mashed brinjals to the pan and fry this until all the rawness of the tamarind disappears.
6. Serve the Kalchina Vankaaya Pacchadi with steamed rice with ghee/clarified butter/gingelly oil. Gingelly oil is Manchi Nune or Nuvvula Nune in telugu, which adds the extra taste.
Note:
1. The Brinjals/Aubergine/Eggplants can be oven roasted too, which yields the same results.
2. A dash of garam masala can be added to the curry but purely optional.
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