Brinjal Curry (ಮಟ್ಟಿನ ಗುಳ್ಳ ಬೋಳು ಹುಳಿ)

Brinjal from a place called Mattu (ಮಟ್ಟು) a small village near Udupi is famous world wide. It is called Mattina Gulla ( ಮಟ್ಟಿನ ಗುಳ್ಳ), and it is a special type of brinjal which normally grow in this region. This special variety of brinjal is cooked in many style and with many varieties.

Brinjal is very low in calories and fats but rich in soluble fiber content. It contains good amounts of many essential B - Complex groups of vitamins. It is a good source of minerals like manganese. copper, iron and potassium.

Here is a recipe of Brinjal curry which is prepared using toor dal, green chilly, ginger. This curry goes well with Rice, chapati, poori, roti, idli and even dosas. The same procedure can be followed to any variety of brinjal.

Things Needed:

Brinjal : 2 (Medium size)
Toor/Moong dal : 1/2 cup
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Ginger : 1 Table spoon
Ingh : a pinch
Turmeric powder : a pinch
Coconut Oil : 2 Tea spoons
Mustard seeds :1/2 Tea spoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Tea spoon
Curry leaves : 5 to 6
Coriander leaves : 2 Table spoons
Tamarind Pulp : 2 Table spoons.
Jaggery : 1 Table spoon
Salt : to taste

Method :

1. Wash and cook Toor/Moong dal in a pressure cooker with required water.  Leave it for cooling.
2. Wash and cut Brinjal and put it in a big bowl of water.

3. Wash and cut green chilly, curry leaves and coriander leaves.

4. Wash and remove the outer skin of ginger and grate it.
5. Soak a small ball size of tamarind in hot water and squeeze out the pulp and keep the pulp aside.
6. Now keep a big pan on the fire and heat. Put 1 tea spoon of oil.
7. Put mustard seeds and urid dal to the hot oil. Let it spurt.
8. Add cut green chilly, curry leaves and ingh. Mix it well.

9. Now squeeze out the extra water from the brinjal and add it to the spurt mixture.
10. Fry nicely on low flame. Add water and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Let the brinjal be soft.
11. Add cooked dal and mix it well and put water. Put tamarind pulp and salt.

12. Let it cook on  medium flame. Add jaggery, grated ginger and mix it well and boil for 5 minutes.
13 Now add  cut coriander leaves, 1 tea spoon of coconut oil and shift the Brinjal curry to a serving bowl.
14. Serve with hot rice or chapati.

Note :

Must cook dal and brinjal till soft. Adding jaggery is an optional. Using coconut oil is also an optional. You can use any cooking oil. Add required water while the curry boil. It should be little watery. You can also use lemon extract instead of tamarind. I have used Moong dal for the curry.
Using onions and garlic is purely optional.

Time : 30 Minutes
Servers : 3 to 4 

Antina Unde (Edible Gum Laddus)

Antina Unde(Kannada) is a very healthy Laddu, prepared using lots of nuts and Antu (edible gum) or Gondu (gum). Antina unde is also called Dink or Dinka Laddu.

Antina Unde is specially prepared for the lady after her delivery. Antina Unde helps her to get back to the energy which is lost during the process of the child birth. Lots of ghee, edible gum jaggery with nutmug and nuts like almonds, cashew, raisins and cardamom is used to prepare Antina Unde.

Lots of ghee is used to fry these things and it is believed that it helps the lady to get back to her normal life after a painful delivery. It also helps her to be healthy and carry on her daily normal work. Antina Unde helps the ladies to get the strong spinal strength and produce the breast milk to the nurishing mother.

Dinka or Gond is an edible gum. It is extracted from the bark of the Axie - Wood tree. It is available in cristal form as pearly yellowish pieces of varying sizes. Edible gum contain calcium, magnesium and potassium. It protect against cold. It also known to treat chronic kidney diseases, digestive disorder. Gond can help lower cholesterol.

Almonds are used for relief from constipation, respiratory disorders, coughs, heart disorders, anemia and diabetes. It also helps to maintain a healthy hair, skin care and dental care. Almonds have been connected to a higher intellectual level and they have long been considered an essential food item for growning children.

Poppy seeds are pleasant in taste. They are nutritious oil seeds used as condiment in cooking. Poppy seeds helps to lower the bad cholesterol and increase the good cholesterol levels in the blood. They are good source of dietary fiber. They help to over come the constipation problems. The seeds are excellent source of B - Complex, Vitamins. They contain good levels of minerals like iron, copper, potassium, manganese, zinc and magnesium.

Here is a recipe of " Antina Unde " that contain lots of nutrition and less ghee. This is a healthy recipe and I am sure each and every one will love to eat this Antina Unde. I have prepared this laddus My way of doing.

Things Needed : 

Antu (Edible gum) : 1oo grams
Badam (Almonds) : 2 Cups
Poppy Seeds: 100 Grams
Dry dates (Uttutte)  : 100 Grams (10 to 12)

Kallu sakkare : 100 Grams
Walnuts : 50 Grams
Cashew Nuts : 50 Grams
Jaggery : 1 cup
Pista: 1 Tablespoon (optional)
Cardamom : 6 to 8 pods.
Dry Coconut : (Copra) : 1 (Small one)
Ghee : 2 to 3 Tablespoons.
Raisins : 100 grams.

Ready to serve Antina Unde

Method

1. Cut dry dates in to small pieces.

2. Grate dry coconut.
3. Dry  Roast 1 cup of almonds.

4. Dry roast Gum.

5. Cut the other cup of almonds in to small pieces.
6. Now powder the dates and 1/2 portion of copra, cardamom.

7. Powder the dry roasted almonds and Kallu sakkare

8. Powder roasted gum.
9. Now all these powdered mixtures and cut almonds in a big bowl.

10. Dry roast poppy seeds and dry grind when it cools down. Put the ground mixture in the bowl.

Roast walnuts slightly and add it as it is .(Do not roast more than 20 seconds).

11. Keep a pan on the fire and put 2 tablespoons of ghee and heat.

12. Fry cashew and raisins in the ghee and add it to the mixture.

13. Keep a pan and put jaggery and 1/4 cup of water

14. Bring it to boil and let the jaggery melt and turn a string consistency.

15. Put this jaggery syrup to the mixture and mix it nicely.

16. Now mix it well and take a handful of the mixture and prepare laddu.

17. Repeat the same with the remaining mixture.

18. You can add a spoon of melted ghee inbetween. It helps to prepare the laddu.

Note:

Remember dry roasting should be done on low flame. You can also add cut dates as it is. (dry grinding is an optional). You can add nutmug powder (1 Tea spoon) to the mixture. (If you are feeding the baby adding nutmug adds to the nutrition). I have not added. Adding ghee will enhance the taste. I have added the minimum. Do not roast copra since it is already dried. Adding red kallusakkare is also a healthy choice. You can use little kallusakkare and more of jaggery.(optional).
You must roast the antu (gum) nicely and then powder it. Do not powder the hard gum if it is not roasted. It may not be powdered well.

Preparation time : 30 minutes
Cooking time : 3o minutes 
Total Time : 1 Hour
50 Laddus can be made ( sizes differ)

Laddus with less jaggery : 

1. Dry ground Mixute (The same dry roasted nuts and kallusakkare mixtue).

2. Keep a pan on the fire and add 2 to 3 tablespoons of jaggery and put a table spoon of water.

3. Let it boil to a string cosistency. add this jaggery syrup to the nuts mixture. Mix it well.

4. Store this mixture in a glass bottle. You can eat them whenever you want.
Take 2 tablespoons of this mixture and eat as it is or adding a spoon of hot milk and mix it well and eat it.