#47: Vankaya Kalchi Pachadi ~ Smoked Eggplant Chutney

When the days are freezing and cold,
and the evenings are dull and grey,
all you want to do is to stay home and sleep,
brave up and make this pachadi,
It is  sure to bring an instant cheer !

Ingredients

• 1 tsp Oil
• 1 Large Eggplant
• 3-4 Tbs Cilantro - Chopped 
• 2 Green Chillies
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Tamarind extract 
• Salt 
• 1/2 Onion- chopped

For Tempering

• 1 tsp Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 2 tsp Urad Dhal
• 7-8 Dry Red Chillies ( more if you like it spicy )
• 1/8 tsp Asafoetida
• 1/4 tsp Fenugreek powder

Method:

1. Apply oil onto the eggplant and roast it directly on the stove on medium heat turning it from side to side. It will take about 20 min for the outer skin to become completely charred. The eggplant will cook and become tender on the inside. Peel the skin  and chop into bite sized pieces
2. For tempering-Heat oil, add mustard seed, let them splutter. To it add urad dhal, red chillies and fry until the urad dhal turns slightly golden. Add asafoetida and fenugreek powder and fry for a minute. Set aside
3. In a food processor/blender grind the tempering-red chilles, green chilles, cilantro salt together to coarse powder. Add the chopped eggplant pieces to it and blend to a coarse paste
4. Garnish with chopped onions if needed 
5. Serve with steaming hot rice and ghee