Brinjal Potato kosthu

This is a yet another kongu special dish. My grandmother used to make this by first roasting the raw tomatoes and brinjal over the flame. My tongue still remembers the taste of a slightly burnt food and my nose remembers the smell of it. Afterall I guess my grandmother invented barbeque. I only do the non-barbequeing version of it, and of course with a slight variation. The ingredients and the proportions are from my mom in law.

Ingredients:

Brinjal /eggplant 6-7 medium

Potato 1 small

Onion 1

Tomatoes 3 medium

Red chillies 4-5

Castor oil 1/2 to 1 tsp

Spice powders:

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Sambhar powder 1/2 tsp

Salt 1 tsp

To temper:

Onion 5 or 6 chopped bits

Mustard 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves 1 sprig

Procedure:

1. Wash the brinjals  / eggplants / kathiri kaai and cut them into tiny pieces and put them in water.
2. Cut onions, tomatoes, potato into tiny bits and add to a cookware with lid.
3. Remove brinjals from water and add to it. Add the spice powders, red chillies, castor oil. Do not add salt now.
4. Add half a cup of water and close the lid and boil in medium flame.
5. After 5 minutes check for enough water. Add salt and little water if needed. The dish should not be watery.
6. Close the lid and let it cook for 5 more minutes. See if the brinjals have cooked.
7. Now add 1 tblsp of grated fresh coconut if you need. This is optional.
8. Add oil in a small pan in medium flame. Add mustard and wait for it to splutter. Add onions, curry leaves.
9. After about 2 minutes add the tadka to the dish and add salt if needed.

Tasty gosthu is ready. Castor oil is the hero of this show! Do not hesitate if you have never used it for cooking. Go ahead and try this.