By far the most celebrated curry in Andhra, this always finds a prime place in the menu of functions and festivals. Panasa pottu (minced tender jackfruit) kura is the other festival favorite but panasa pottu is available only during a certain season while brinjal the “king of vegetables” is available all through the year.

Tender brinjals slit all the way are carefully cooked in oil with a special curry powder – kura karam, the most versatile item in Telugu kitchens, resulting in a lip-smacking charm.

It was prepared much more meticulously in the olden days. Most remember the rigor and the conventions practised by their family elders in cooking this. Like many of my recipes, Ammamma is my guru for this also. She used to cook this in a wide bronze pot on slow heat, covered with a lid on which little water is poured. This is wonderful science (see note). When the water on the top evaporates, underside of the plate condenses and water drops get added to the curry in a slow, regular fashion cooking it perfectly. Occasionally she would remove the plate, give the contents a shake and replace the plate with water. It is allowed to brown and blacken by getting roasted in oil.

I remember my cousin Ravi whenever I prepare this. He was a school boy then with a taste for food and we all loved Ammamma’s food. He and his younger brother were very special to all of us. He would come for lunch sometimes and when ammamma’s menu had this curry, he would cajole her into serving him those well roasted, blackened crust with karam and greedily eat with relish. His way of beginning with a flourish and then pleading to win his way was so amusing 😊.

The right way of doing this is to just cut off a short length of the stem of each brinjal (or even leave it be fully if they are tender) and make 2 perpendicular slits on the other end of the vegetable such that it goes all the way upto the stem. The karam is then stuffed into the slit. These are then carefully placed in the hot cooking pot with liberal amount of oil. Then the ceremonial water-lid and shaking, slow-cooking. A little tamarind juice is added to give it a tangy punch. Some people add malai (meegada, milk cream) or butter or even milk for a softer taste.

I sometimes prepare this by slitting the brinjals, but most often we slice them into long pieces and add the karam after it is half-cooked. Water-lid is also not used. We just sprinkle water and stir. It still tastes good. My husband loves this as a typical Andhrite and my son not so much.

This curry is popular in Tamil (ennai kathirikkai ) and Kannada (ennegayi) cuisines too, with some minor variations in the process.

This king curry is enjoyed with hot rice and sesame oil (or ghee) along with other sides pappu/sambar, pachadi, curd.

Ingredients:

• Tender brinjal – 1/2 kg or 15no. slit or sliced
• Kura karam – 6 tbsp
• Tamarind paste – 1 tbsp
• Salt
• Turmeric – a pinch
• Oil – 2 to 5 tbsp

Method:

1. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan and add brinjal pieces along with turmeric and saute on high for a minute.
2. Once the skin has browned a little, mix required salt, lower the heat to minimum and cover with a lid.
3. Keep stirring once every few minutes. Sprinkle water if it appears dry.
4. When it is half cooked, add tamarind juice diluted in 2 tbsp of water and mix.
5. Add kura karam, mix well and cook covered.
6. Again keep stirring once or twice. Add a tbsp of oil if required and also a dash of water.
7. When the brinjal looks fully cooked and the karam has nicely roasted in oil, turn off the heat and let it rest covered for a few minutes.
8. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Note:

• Deep purple or light purple small brinjals are suitable for this curry. Some people also use white ones.
• You can alternatively stuff the kura karam mixed with salt into the slit brinjals and saute them carefully in oil and then cook covered. Shake the brinjals gently to cook on all sides, sprinkle tamarind juice after 3/4th done and continue cooking. This comes out well with little more oil.
• Check the brinjals carefully for worms and keep the cut or slit ones immersed in water to avoid darkening due to oxidation.
• I will be adding the recipe for kura karam which as I mentioned is a very handy flavouring agent in our cuisine, a saviour for amateurs.
• I did not use much oil in my curry and so it looks somewhat dry, but good for the feeble heart.
• From upgrade_my_food

When you cover a pan with a lid carrying water, it acts as a stabilizer that limits the pan from getting too hot. The heat generated from the steam is being utilized more towards heating the water in the lid rather than the veggies. More importantly; once the steam from the pan hits the lid, it instantly condenses keeping the inner environment moist.

So, …. this technique is so effective …. where a moist environment is necessary without adding excess water.