Easy Kathirikai Sambar Recipe for Rice, Idli and Dosa | Traditional Brinjal sambar

Kathirikai sambar, also known as brinjal sambar, is a delicious South Indian lentil-based curry made with fresh eggplant, toor dal, tamarind, sambar powder, and aromatic spices. This flavorful sambar has a perfect balance of tangy, spicy, and mildly sweet flavours, making it an excellent accompaniment for steamed rice, idli, upma, crispy dosas, and pongal. Easy to prepare and packed with comforting homemade flavour, this traditional Kathirikai Sambar recipe is perfect for a wholesome South Indian meal.

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Ingredients for making Kathirikai Sambar

Toor Dal – 1 cup
Small Onions – 10
Green Chilly - 1
Tomato – 1 big sized
Brinjal / Kathirikai  -  1/4 kg 
Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp.
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp.
Sambar powder – 2 tbsp.
Tamarind extract – 1/3 cup
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp.
Coriander leaves – just to garnish
Oil – 1 tsp
Salt – to taste

To Temper:
Oil – 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Urad Dal – 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds – 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Hing – a generous pinch
Red Chillies – 1

Method for making Kathirikai Sambar

1. Soak Toor dal in water for 15 minutes and then Cook with a pinch of turmeric powder and 3 cups of water in a pressure cooker. Allow for 4-5 whistles or until mushy. Mash it well with a laddle, Set aside. 

2. Rinse and cut the brinjal lengthwise and saok them in water.

3. Heat oil in a kadai, splutter the mustard seeds, add all the other ingredients given under to temper. Then add small onions and saute well. Now add green chillies and chopped tomatoes and saute well.

4. Next add chopped kathirikai and saute for 2 minutes and then add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, required amount of salt and saute well. Then add 1 cup of water and allow this to boil for 5 minutes.

5. Next add the mashed dal and allow it to boil for 2 minutes let it boil and then mix sambar powder in water and add to the boiling content.

6. Now add the tamarind extract allow it to boil for a 5-10 mins till it reaches sambar consistency. Adjust salt at this stage.

7. Add chopped coriander leaves and switch it off.

Serve hot with white rice and any varuval or poriyal of your choice.

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