Badane Koddel | Green Brinjal Sambar

Koddel Means Sambar in Tulu. My mother's Badane or bendekayi koddel (Brinjal or lady's finger Sambar) is my all time favorite. This sweet, sour and spicy dal preparation is a simple and comfort food that brings back fond memories from my childhood.  Most of the evenings after school me and my brother used to fight over comic books.  I always got 2nd turn to read those stories and I wasted no time and mostly ended up reading it while eating dinner. The super delicious koddel and super exciting stories from comic books were a crazy combination those days :) Those crazy, funny and carefree moments I try to relive through food:))

Here is how to make this easy and comfort food.

Ingredients: 
Togaribele /Toor Dal: 1 cup
Green slender brinjal : 2
Thick Tamarind Juice : 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Jaggery : 1 -1.5 tbsp
Saru/Rasam Powder: 2 tsp
Slit Green chillies: 2
Coconut oil/Ghee : 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
Hing/Asafoetida: 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves: 1 sprig
Broken dry red chilli: 1
Coriander leaves for garnish
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash and soak dal in enough water for 15 minutes, add a pinch of turmeric and few drops of oil and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles.

2. Put Tamarind juice, Jaggery, Turmeric powder, Green chillies and 1 cup water in a pot and bring to boil.

3. Chop Brinjal into small pieces and add to the boiling tamarind mixture and cook for 5-8 minutes or until the brinjal turns tender.

4. Mash the cooked dal and add to the pot, add salt and rasam powder and water if needed to adjust the consistency and boil it for 10-15 minutes.

5. Heat oil/Ghee in a tempering pan and add mustard seeds, when it splutters add cumin seeds, broken dry red chilli, Hing and Curry leaves and saute for 30 seconds. Pour the tempring on the koddel and close the lid. Let it boil on low flame for 1-2 minutes and turn off the flame.

6. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with rice and ghee.

Click here for Home Made Sarina pudi /Rasam powder recipe. 

Notes:
1. Simply replace Brinjal with Lady's finger to make Bendekayi koddel.