Badanekai Erulli Sambar / HuLi Eggplant Onion sambar with detailed video instruction.
Sambar is the most common dish in south Indian Kitchen. We use different combinations of vegetables, different spice mix to make it more interesting. Today’s recipe is Sambar with brinjal and onion. You can use shallots, or pearl onions for this sambar.
Eggplant / Brinjal / Badanekai is a low calorie, low fat vegetable which is rich in soluble fiber and vitamin B complex groups like B1, B3, and B4. This helps in reducing inflammation and high blood pressure.

Sambar goes well with ragi mudde, rice, rotti, idli….

Here is simple delicious sambar recipe. Other sambar recipes CLICK HERE 

Ingredients for Badanekai Erulli Sambar:

• 10 small brinjal/eggplants
• 5 small onions
• ½ cup toor dal/togari bele
• ⅓ cup grated coconut
• Around 1tbsp salt
• key lime size tamarind soaked in water
• small piece of jaggery
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 4 to 5 cups of water

For Masale:

• ½ tsp oil
• ¼ tsp menthya/fenugreek seeds
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• ¾ tsp jeera
• 4 guntur red chilli and 4 byadagi red chilli (increase or decrease the amount)
• 10 black pepper
• around ¼ tsp mustard seeds
• 8 to 10 curry leaves for masale and few more for sambar

For seasoning:

• ½ tsp ghee
• ¼ tsp Mustard seeds
• ½ tsp jeera

Method:

1. wash and pressure cook the toor dal along with 1.5 cup water, turmeric powder and little oil on medium heat. Turn off the heat after 3 whistles.
2. heat ½ tsp oil in a pan on medium heat and add methi seeds, pepper, red chillies, mustard seeds, jeera and curry leaves, fry it
3. When methi seeds turns golden brown add coriander seeds fry it for ½ minute and turn off the heat
4. grind it to a coarse paste along with coconut and little water
5. Now wash and cut the brinjal and onion as shown in the video.
6. Transfer the cut vegetables to a medium size pan, add water, keep it on the stove on medium heat.
7. once the brinjal is half cooked, add tamarind juice, the masala paste,
8. Mix it well, and add the cooked dal, salt, jaggery, curry leaves and mix it well, add enough water to get the sambar consistency, let it boil on medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes
9. Turn off the after 10 minutes,

Now for seasoning:

1. Heat the ghee or oil in a ladle, once hot add mustard seeds, after it splutters add jeera, turn off the heat and add this to the sambar and mix it.
2. This sambar will be enough for 4 to 6 people.