Brinjal gothsu (chidambaram brinjal gothsu) is a traditional side dish for idli, with brinjal, small onion, coriander seeds as main ingredients.
You can make anytime of the year when you get fresh brinjals, as side dish for idli or pongal. We make it especially for breakfast or dinner with idli.
Check out my easy side dish for pongal and this idli dosa batter for my soft idli recipe if you want to make.
About
I learnt from my Mom in law, who hails from Chidambaram and they this brinjal gothsu that is very distinct in color and flavor. In addition, very unique I must say!
In fact, this is very famous among our relative and everyone appreciates my MIL. She makes this very often, so she makes it yummiest than anyone.
I initially struggled to get the balance, but now, I can proudly say I too can make very similar to her.
Highlights of this recipe
There's a lot of texture and flavour specifically in this gothsu.
Firstly, the coarse ground brinjal, never ground smooth! Maybe you can mash it too if you like it. My husband, who never eats brinjal likes this gosthu because you can't see it 😃.
Secondly, small onion (shallots/ chinna vengayam) - without small onions, we never make this.
Thirdly, the roasted chilli & coriander seeds powdered and added towards end is the highlight! All you need is this thick, dark and textured gothsu and fluffy soft idli 🙂
Finally, lots of urad dal and chana dal that we add while tempering.
If this doesn't tempts you to try, then you should try once to believe these exact points.😁
Recipe card
Chidambaram Brinjal Gothsu Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 Brinjal refer note 1
- 1 teaspoon Tamarind measure packed
- 15 Small onion shallots, refer note 2
- 1 Curry leaves sprig
- Salt as needed
- 1 tablespoon Sesame oil
To roast and powder
- 1 teaspoon Oil
- 1 tablespoon Dry coriander seeds
- 10 Red chilli Dry, medium spice
- ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida solid, refer note 3
To temper
- ½ teaspoon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon Urad dal
- 1 tsbp Chana dal
- 1 Curry leaves sprig
Instructions
Cook brinjal
- Wash and clean brinjal firstly. Cut lengthwise and keep it immersed in water until use.
- Boil enough water and add then add cut brinjals. Cook until its soft.
- Drain from water and keep aside for cooling.
Spice powder for gothsu
- Heat kadai with a teaspoon of oil and roast the red chill, coriander seeds, asafoetida till deep golden brown and aromatic.
- Powder coarsely once cooled.
Make Chidambaram brinjal gothsu
- After that, in the same mixie, grind the cooled brinjal too. While grinding brinjal, just use pulse option and grind coarsely.
- Extract tamarind juice and keep ready.
- Heat remaining oil in the kadai and add all the tempering items in order followed by curry leaves.
- After that, add onion and fry till onion turns transparent.
- Then add 2 cups of water, salt, the tamarind extract, ground brinjal and boil for 4 minutes.
- Lastly add the ground masala powder in sprinkled way as you stir and boil till a thick consistency reaches.
- Switch off the stove, add sesame oil and few fresh torn curry leaves. Mix well. Chidambaram brinjal gosthu ready!
Video
Notes
- Note 1: I used small lavender pale purple brinjal for this. But you can use any variety like the vari purple brinjal or plain deep purple brinjal. Some brinjals are naturally bitter so make sure you don't use it. Naatu kathirikai are best 😉 Appoximately 300 - 400 grams. So adjust numbers according to size. If big, use less, if small use more.
- Note 2: The more small onion you add, it is tastier. You can also use large onion but doesn't taste same. Use 2 medium finely chopped onion if using large onion. My small onions measure around 120 gms roughly.
- Note 3: If using solid, you should roast along together. If using powder, add towards end.
- Make sure to cook brinjal completely, otherwise the gothsu will taste bitter.
- Also it is must to add enough tamarind and spice for a good tasting gothsu.
- The gothsu turns thicker as it cools down.
- Drain the water from which brinjal is cooked. Do not use it as it is bitter.
Method
Cook brinjal
- Cut brinjal lengthwise and keep it immersed in water until use. Boil enough water and add cut brinjals. Cook until its soft. Drain from water and keep aside for cooling.
Spice powder for gothsu
1. Heat kadai with oil and roast the red chill, coriander seeds, asafoetida till deep golden brown and aromatic.
2. Keep aside for cooling. Powder once cooled.
Make chidambaram brinjal gothsu
1. In the same mixie, grind the brinjal too. While grinding brinjal, just use pulse option and grind coarsely.
2. Meanwhile, extract tamarind juice. Heat oil in the kadai and add all the tempering items in order,followed by curry leaves.
3. Add onion and fry till onion turns transparent.
4. Add 2 cups of water,salt,the tamarind extract, ground brinjal boil for 4 minutes.
5. Lastly add the ground masala powder,and boil till a thick consistency reaches.
6. Switch off the stove, add sesame oil and few fresh torn curry leaves. Mix well.
Enjoy with hot, pillow soft idli.
Raaga says
My mom makes something that is called kartikai gojju, but it has coconut and chana dal... we also eat that with idlis and dosas... I love this recipe too.
RAKS KITCHEN says
Oh is it..Thankyou for your comment Raaga..!!
Lissie says
very nice side dish for idlis and dosas! i like your recipes very much.
Saju says
Great recipe, a little similar to bhurta, but with more liquid, must be very yummy with idlis
Swaroopa says
looks Yum!! never tried it before. have to try it.
Siri says
Dear Rajeshwari, I heard of this from my tam friends.. didn't know how to make it.. now i do.. thanks dear.. nice and yummy side dish..:D
Sirisha Kilambi says
Hey this is new to me...Looks good...will have to give it a try 🙂
Padma says
Hey will love to do this when I steam idlis next times, sounds delicious to me, bookmarked!
RAKS KITCHEN says
lissie
Sure it is...Thanx for the compliments!
saju
Yes,and Thanx for vsiting my blog..
swaroopa
Try it and lemme know if it came out nice..:))
shriya
Thanx Siri for visit,and give it a try,may be u 'll like it also:)
sirisha
Try and lemme know sirisha..:))
Padma
anx padma and tell me how it was..:))
Roopa says
Hi Rajeswari,
Thanks for visitng my blog which has led me to yours! great to have anaother blogger from singapore! the katrikai gojju looks interesting 🙂
Asha says
Looks delicious!! What a great recipe, thanks Raks.Love Brinjals:))
lakshmi says
Saw your blogger profile today - your kiddo is incredibly cute - is it a boy or a girl? (most mistake my niece for a cute boy 😉 )
I used to traverse the world of development sometime back - my masters is in social work - so what's your line of work?
Kribha says
Everybody in my family does this. Infact it's our family favorite. Your version is a little different. Kosthu looks yummy. will try it this way soon.
Bharathy says
I too make this after my ma in law...she calls it Kathrikkai kadasal..This goes well with hot rice too!!:)...by the way is it Kothsu or kosthu??(sorry I am always with doubts as tamil cuisine is what I make mostly and still in learning stages!!):D
RAKS KITCHEN says
Roopa
Welcome Roopa...Thanx for your comments..:)
Asha
Thanx For the wonderful Words asha..!
Hi Lakshmi
Thanx and My Kid is a BOY.!!The same question,most of the people ask...coz may be of his hair cut..:))
And I am a normal Home maker..Actually in the profile,I tried selecting "Not mentioned" option..But its not working...
I hav never been working B4 and after finishing my studies,I got married..:))My line in education is Electronics & communications..:))Thanx for visiting my blog and keep coming..:))
Kribha
Glad to know that its ur family favourite..Do try it out some time..:))
Bharathy
I hav heard many people calling this KOTHSU too..But in our family everyone calls kosthu only...:))
Glad u asked..:D !!
Sia says
slurp... that is one gorgeous looking koshtu raks...
RAKS KITCHEN says
Thanx Sia...:))
Happy cook says
Tha is a super delicious looking dish. I always though brinjal was a boring veggie, but i am sure if i taste your dish i would be a fan of brinjal :-))
Rohini's kitchen says
Looks delicious..I too will do this but instead of boiling brinjal i will fry and i will use black pepper instead of red chilli..Will try this way.
remya says
gud bringal dish...amma makes this usually as a side dish for rice,goes well wid idlli also...we call this as 'karthikai bhaji/kadasal'...wat ever be the same....dish is very tasty...my hubby doesnt like this...so i have no chance to make this....
Rina says
It looks great on the idlies. Please send that plate across.
Daily Meals says
Brinjal kosthu looks great...
TBC says
That looks delicious. This may a good way for me to eat brinjals.( I am not an eggplant lover:-(
RAKS KITCHEN says
Happy cook
Ya,try it,the coriander smell will dominate..))Thanx
Rohini
Yes I know that recipe too..We call that brinjal pepper kuzhambu..
Ramya
Thanx for the comments..:))
Reena
Thanx reena!Sure I will//;)
Daily meals
Thanx..:)
tbc
Most people dont like Brinjal..including my husband,except this dish...:)
Menu Today says
Hi,
Idli and Gojju inviting me.Looks delicious. Thanks for sharing.
RAKS KITCHEN says
Thanx Menu today..:))
Mona says
Hi, we make similar pasty brinjal curry and call it 'baingan ka bharta', not exactly same but a bit similar and have it with rice or chaparis/parathas. I will someday make this and try it with doasa and idlis for the first time in my life, thanks for the recipe !
http://www.monaafzal.wordpress.com
lakshmi says
dressing as well as norms of appearence in urban parts these days is increasingly becoming unisex - it very difficult to figure if cute toddlers are boys or girls 😀
isn't there I'am a stay at home mom option? i think that would be rather cute - although there must be exasperating moments I'm sure its a fun job to take care of your boy :).
RAKS KITCHEN says
Thanx Mona for the comments...:))
Lakshmi,
Yes I agree with your Words:)
I too was searching for home maker option but in vain..
But,as u said ,I love to be a house wife..;D
Vcuisine says
With idlis!!! nothing can beat this combo. Lovely Rak. Viji
RAKS KITCHEN says
Thankyou Viji!!:))
Cynthia says
Hi there! Thanks very much for taking the time to visit my blog and help me to discover yours. Your kind comments are deeply appreciated.
Can't wait to explore your kitchen 🙂
Mansi Desai says
wow, this is slightly new recipe for me, I love the way it looks with idlis!!:) gotta try sometime!
RAKS KITCHEN says
Welcome, Cynthiya and Mansi...Thanx for dropping by and leaving ur precious comments:))
Genius says
It came out tasty, and it sounds good. We ate with pongal.
supriya p says
This came out very well, made for tamil new year with venpongal.
Soundarya Vinod says
Wowww!! I tried this and it came very delicious and yummy. It goes well with arisi upma as well.
Meenal Ramanathan says
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jyothi Ravishankar says
Looks gud n tastes superb...
Sathya Lakshman says
I made this gothsu. It was so delicious and so simple to make. Usually I make gothsu by roasting the big brinjals on fire. It is tasty but time consuming. This is as tasty yet quick! Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe!
sugu says
Hi, can use big onions instead of small ones? Small onions not easily available in my place..,
Renuka says
We r draining Water from cooked brinjal ..can we use that water to extract tamarind ? Drained water is healthy.
Raks Anand says
I have done that earlier several times but the drained water from brinjal is so bitter. So it spoiled a several times and learnt its because of that water.