Garlic Eggplant Stir-Fry

Name: Garlic Eggplant Stir-Fry (Kathirikai Poondu Pirattal)
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 18 ounces long green eggplant (about 5 eggplants); 18 ounces long green eggplant (about 5 eggplants); 2 tablespoons sunflower or canola oil; 2 tablespoons sunflower or canola oil; 1 teaspoon mustard seeds; 1 teaspoon white urad dal (split); ¼ teaspoon asafetida; 1 sprig curry leaves; 1 dried red chile, halved; 12 cloves garlic, chopped; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 tomatoes, finely chopped; ½ teaspoon turmeric powder; 1 tablespoon sambar powder; Kosher salt

Kathirikai Poondu Pirattal

Preparation info

Yield:
4
servings

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Everyday Indian from Archana’s Kitchen

By Archana Doshi

Published 2026

About

A rustic South Indian delight, Kathirikai Poondu Pirattal features tender eggplant cubes stir-fried with a generous amount of garlic and spices. Hailing from Tamil Nadu, its robust, aromatic flavors make it a standout dish for any homestyle meal.

Ingredients

18 ounces long green eggplant (about 5 eggplants)
2 tablespoons

Asia
India
Tamil Nadu
Side dish
Vegan

Method

Chop the eggplants lengthwise and place them in a bowl filled with salted water at room temperature until you are ready to cook.

Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat; add the mustard seeds and urad dal. Heat until the seeds crackle and the dal turns golden brown and crisp. Stir in the asafetida, curry leaves, and red chile; cook for about 10 seconds.

Next, add the garlic and o