Indian · Tamil Nadu · main

Kara Kuzhambu (Sour Shallot and Aubergine Gravy)

Kara Kuzhambu (Sour Shallot and Aubergine Gravy) reads nutty 4.4, sourness 4.4 and sweetness 4.3 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Indian · Tamil Nadu main, about 37 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.1 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 5.2 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 5.2 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 3.2 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.4 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.1 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Nutty 4.4 · Sourness 4.4 · Sweetness 4.3 · Salinity 3.7 · Umami 3.6 · Richness 3.3 · Earthy 3.0 · Citrus 2.9 · Fruity 2.9 · Warm Spice 2.5 · Allium 2.3 · Herbaceous 2.2 · Heat 1.8 · Floral 1.4 · Bitterness 1.4 · Funk & Ferment 0.7

What's in it (16)

• tamarind paste — 40 g
• sesame oil — 41 g
• brown mustard seeds — 5 g
• fenugreek seeds — 3 g
• urad dal — 5 g
• curry leaves — 2 g
• asafoetida — 1 g
• shallots — 480 g
• eggplant — 200 g
• coriander seeds — 15 g
• dried red chillies — 30 g
• cumin seeds — 5 g
• coconut — 27 g
• turmeric — 3 g
• salt — 7 g
• brown sugar — 4 g

Time & effort: about 37 min (35 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 141.1 kcal, 3.3 g protein, 8.9 g fat, 14.7 g carbs

Dietary: Vegan — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (6 steps)

1. Dry-roast the coriander seeds, dried chillies and cumin in a small pan for 2 minutes until fragrant, then grind them with the grated coconut and 60 ml water to a smooth paste.
2. Heat the gingelly oil in a heavy pot over medium heat and add the mustard seeds. When they pop, about 40 seconds, add the fenugreek and urad dal and fry 30 seconds until the dal is straw-coloured, then the curry leaves and asafoetida for 10 seconds. Fenugreek is the bitter backbone here; if it goes black the whole pot turns acrid, so watch it.
3. Add the shallots and fry 5 minutes until they are glossy and beginning to brown, then the aubergine wedges and fry 3 minutes more.
4. Squeeze and strain in the tamarind water, add the turmeric and salt, and boil hard for 10 minutes to cook out the raw sourness.
5. Stir in the ground paste and simmer 12 to 15 minutes on low, until the gravy thickens, darkens and a film of oil floats clear on the surface. That floating oil is the sign the kuzhambu is done and it will keep for two days because of it.
6. Season with the jaggery, which rounds the sour edge without making the dish sweet, and serve with rice and a spoonful of sesame oil.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Mirchi ka Salan (Chillies in Peanut and Sesame Gravy) — Indian · Hyderabad
• Rasam (Pepper and Tamarind Broth) — Indian · Tamil Nadu
• Sindhi Kadhi (Roasted Gram Flour and Tamarind Vegetable Stew) — Indian · Sindhi
• Sambar (Toor Dal and Vegetables with Tamarind) — Indian · Tamil Nadu
• Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew — West African

Keep reading: what nutty, sourness, sweetness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.