Theeyal has a unique quality; it's spicy, sweet and savoury all at the same time. The heated chillies wrestling for an upper hand with the crunchy roasted coconut, and finally lending the vegetables that amazing flavour hand in hand!
Ingredients
125gm brinjal/aubergine sliced lengthwise
1 dessert spoon coconut oil
2 cups grated coconut
2 dsp shallots
2-3 dried red chillies
1 dsp dried coriander seeds
¼ tsp turmeric powder
4 green chillies slit lengthwise
Salt as required
A lemon sized ball of tamarind juice
For seasoning
1 dsp coconut oil
¼ tsp mustard seeds
2 dried red chillies
Curry leaves as required
Preparation
In a pan, pour oil and add brinjal slices, green chillies and shallots
Saute them until the brinjal slices become soft
Add a little oil to another wok and fry the grated coconut with dried red chillies and coriander seeds until it turns a deep brown
Take care not to burn the coconut
Grind the coconut mix to a smooth paste. Note that no water is required to grind the coconuts
Mix the tamarind with a cup of water and pour into the sauteed brinjal mix
Simmer and let it boil for some time
Add the coconut blend to this and mix well
For seasoning, add oil to a pan, splutter mustard seeds
Add dried red chillies and curry leaves to it
When the gravy turns medium thick, pour the seasoning into it
Creamy and flavourful theeyal is ready to be relished
