Brinjal (eggplant) Poricha kootu

I like eating brinjal or eggplant in the form of kootu instead of eggplant curry. This is one way of making brinjal kootu and my MIL is an expert in making this kootu. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:-

1. Brinjal - 1 cup (chopped into big cubes)
2. Moong dhall - 1/4 cup
3. coconut - 1/2 tbsp
4. Urad dhall - 1/2 tsp
5. Channa dhall - 1/2 tsp
6. Red chillies Or green chillies - 2
7. Pepper - 1/2 tsp
8. Cumin - 1/4 tsp
9. Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
10. Salt to taste

For seasoning:-

1. Oil - 2 tsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
3. Urad dhall - 1/2 tsp
4. Asafoetida powder - a pinch
5. curry leaves - few
   

First pressure cook moong dhall with a pinch of tumeric powder and keep it aside. Take a pan, pre heat a drop of oil, fry urad dhall, channa dhall, red chilles, pepper and cumin into golden brown. Turn off the stove, add coconut and saute for a minute. Grind it into a fine paste. Keep it aside. Now take a pan, put the brinjal pieces, add required amount of water (don't add too mcuh water), turmeric powder and salt and let the brinjal for 7 to 10 mts. When it is 1/2 cooked, add the coconut paste to it and let it cook for another 3 mts. Now add the cooked moong dhall to it and let everything cook for another 5 mts. Add water if necessary. This is poricha kootu. Now take a small pan, pre heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters add urad dhall, asafoetida powder and curry leaves and let it fry till golden brown. Pour it on top of kootu. Now kootu is ready to serve. This can be eaten with rice, as a side dish for chapathi or roti.