BRINJAL - A EULOGY.
Brinjal, Kaththarikkai, Baingan, Vankaya, Vaangi – whatever name you call it by, this most versatile vegetable was known in India by “vatingana” even in 206 BC.
Its purple colour signifies the presence of anthocyanins – the antioxidants that guard the heart, inhibit bad cholesterols, and prevent blood clotting. Any shade of blue, red or purple indicates the presence of these antioxidants – plums, purple grapes, onions, red radish, beetroot, jamun, figs, and of course brinjals are good sources of anthocyanins.
Brinjal contains nasunin, a brain food that protects the brain cell membranes. It lessens arthritis, prevents cancer. Brinjals of all varieties like pale green, white, not just purple varieties, are highly rich in potassium, second only to bananas. Potassium, we all know, is very vital for muscles and nerves. Potassium helps lower the high BP and stroke.
Dietary fibres facilitate regular and easy movement of the bowels, controls the release of blood sugar into the system. Brinjal is way up in the list of high-fibre foods. (Other foods – channa dal, ragi, and banana.) Brinjal is particularly recommended for diabetics. Karela and jamun also have these anti-diabetic properties.
Brinjal is one of the cheapest vegetables, available all thru the year, cooks in a jiffy in all kinds of delicious ways, and is full of nutrition.Indians have devised many tasty and mouth-watering dishes with brinjal. It must be the most versatile vegetable.
Curry can be made by cutting it in lengthwise, add chopped onions and stir-fry (ennai-vathakkal.). Second method is to cut into cubes, add podi, and then fry. These make tasty combinations with plain rice (don’t forget that til oil). Who has not tasted the famous Maharashtrian dish “Vaangi baath”? The more tender (pinju) the brinjal is, the more tastier the curry would be. Such pinju kaththarikais are sometimes called “Vennai kaththarikai” (butter baingan).
Get pinju and small brinjals, slit this lengthwise, stuff with podis and fry the whole brinjals. Delicious. There is a very famous Hyderabadi dish – bhagara baingan – no feast in Hyderabad would go without this bb. Extremely elaborate in preparation, bhagara baingan is that much tastier!
Sambars, vaththa kuzhambus, pitlais, rasa vaangis, more-kuzhambus, kootus – you name it, you can make them using brinjals. Each one of these can be prepared in many different ways. Brinjal combines with all other vegetables excellently, like in Aviyal, or 7-vegetable-kootu.The word “Gothsu” would never be there in Tamil, but for brinjals. Kumbakonam gothsu, Chidambaram gothsu are the most famous types. Apply til oil over the brinjal’s (better if it was a giant brinjal) surface, grill over an open fire, mash it, and make the tastiest gothsu and tell me how many idlis you ate with gothsu.
The oiled and barbequed brinjal when mashed can be added to thayir (curds), and what do you get? Baingan Bartha. A slightly different way of making and you get baingan Raitha! You can make thugaiyal also using barbequed brinjal and udad dal.
Evening time? Cut brinjals into thin round slices, dip in kadalai maavu, and deep-fry. Tasty bhajjis are ready. Want cutlets? Cut brinjals like in bhajjis, coat both the sides with rice (or wheat) flour and fry till brinjal is tender.
Brinjal can be made into vaththal by sun-drying salted raw brinjal pieces.
There must be many more dishes you can prepare with brinjal … nothing to beat brinjal for its resourcefulness. Should you need detailed recipe for any brinjal-based preparation, now you know who to approach.
Yes, you got it right :: today (Monday) morning breakfast in our house was idli with (giant) kaththarikai gothsu ………….!!
Rajappa
10-01-2005 10:45 An article in Express encouraged me to write this.
Brinjal, Kaththarikkai, Baingan, Vankaya, Vaangi – whatever name you call it by, this most versatile vegetable was known in India by “vatingana” even in 206 BC.
Its purple colour signifies the presence of anthocyanins – the antioxidants that guard the heart, inhibit bad cholesterols, and prevent blood clotting. Any shade of blue, red or purple indicates the presence of these antioxidants – plums, purple grapes, onions, red radish, beetroot, jamun, figs, and of course brinjals are good sources of anthocyanins.
Brinjal contains nasunin, a brain food that protects the brain cell membranes. It lessens arthritis, prevents cancer. Brinjals of all varieties like pale green, white, not just purple varieties, are highly rich in potassium, second only to bananas. Potassium, we all know, is very vital for muscles and nerves. Potassium helps lower the high BP and stroke.
Dietary fibres facilitate regular and easy movement of the bowels, controls the release of blood sugar into the system. Brinjal is way up in the list of high-fibre foods. (Other foods – channa dal, ragi, and banana.) Brinjal is particularly recommended for diabetics. Karela and jamun also have these anti-diabetic properties.
Brinjal is one of the cheapest vegetables, available all thru the year, cooks in a jiffy in all kinds of delicious ways, and is full of nutrition.Indians have devised many tasty and mouth-watering dishes with brinjal. It must be the most versatile vegetable.
Curry can be made by cutting it in lengthwise, add chopped onions and stir-fry (ennai-vathakkal.). Second method is to cut into cubes, add podi, and then fry. These make tasty combinations with plain rice (don’t forget that til oil). Who has not tasted the famous Maharashtrian dish “Vaangi baath”? The more tender (pinju) the brinjal is, the more tastier the curry would be. Such pinju kaththarikais are sometimes called “Vennai kaththarikai” (butter baingan).
Get pinju and small brinjals, slit this lengthwise, stuff with podis and fry the whole brinjals. Delicious. There is a very famous Hyderabadi dish – bhagara baingan – no feast in Hyderabad would go without this bb. Extremely elaborate in preparation, bhagara baingan is that much tastier!
Sambars, vaththa kuzhambus, pitlais, rasa vaangis, more-kuzhambus, kootus – you name it, you can make them using brinjals. Each one of these can be prepared in many different ways. Brinjal combines with all other vegetables excellently, like in Aviyal, or 7-vegetable-kootu.The word “Gothsu” would never be there in Tamil, but for brinjals. Kumbakonam gothsu, Chidambaram gothsu are the most famous types. Apply til oil over the brinjal’s (better if it was a giant brinjal) surface, grill over an open fire, mash it, and make the tastiest gothsu and tell me how many idlis you ate with gothsu.
The oiled and barbequed brinjal when mashed can be added to thayir (curds), and what do you get? Baingan Bartha. A slightly different way of making and you get baingan Raitha! You can make thugaiyal also using barbequed brinjal and udad dal.
Evening time? Cut brinjals into thin round slices, dip in kadalai maavu, and deep-fry. Tasty bhajjis are ready. Want cutlets? Cut brinjals like in bhajjis, coat both the sides with rice (or wheat) flour and fry till brinjal is tender.
Brinjal can be made into vaththal by sun-drying salted raw brinjal pieces.
There must be many more dishes you can prepare with brinjal … nothing to beat brinjal for its resourcefulness. Should you need detailed recipe for any brinjal-based preparation, now you know who to approach.
Yes, you got it right :: today (Monday) morning breakfast in our house was idli with (giant) kaththarikai gothsu ………….!!
Rajappa
10-01-2005 10:45 An article in Express encouraged me to write this.
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