North Arcot Serva - A Guest Post for Friendship Chain

Few days back, many of you would have crossed my guest post for Friendship Chain event, a fabulous event started by Anamika of Taste Junction, here comes my turn to share with you all a incredible dish from a fantastic blogger briefly called as CL aka Cool Lassi(e) of Pan Gravy Kadai Curry,her space speaks a lot her love for cooking,with her stepwise pictures,none will go wrong to recreate her dishes at home..Its quite a fabulous chance for me to ask her to write a guest post specially for this incredible event, i was really happy for her immediate reply..A very big thanks to Cool Lassi(e) for sharing her regional cuisine with us..

Here comes the wonderful and authentic dish for North Arcot serva as per Cool Lassi(e)'s words..

When Priya asked me to do a guest post for the "Friendship Chain - Spread the Speciality", started by Anamika of Taste Junction, I was immensely happy that she thought of me to carry forth the torch/link of friendship. And I simply couldn't say No. Priya is a blogger that I look up to. Her creativity knows no bounds and her consistency astonishes me. I simply want to be a fly on the wall in her house and observe how she manages time for family, creative cooking,blogging and blog-hopping. I strongly believe that her talent to juggle everything with such ease has earned her a loyal readership from all over the world. Hats off to Priya. And plenty thanks to her for giving me a chance to do a guest post in her super-cool blog.

 While it was very easy to say yes to do a guest post it was equally difficult for me to narrow down to just one traditional recipe. And that too one that Priya hadn't already thought of and blogged about.See my dilemma? I mean, Priya pretty much has covered most of the South Indian "Regional Specialties" with her enormous efforts, a true labor of love if you ask me. So it took me days to decide on a recipe indigenous to the region I hail from. You see, I am from North Arcot Region of TamilNadu, a place well known for its unique dishes, like Makkan Peda, Arcot Biryani,  Kuska Biryani, Arcot Serva to name a few. All of these dishes are tongue ticklers. Being raised a vegetarian, I can't vouch for the Arcot Meat Biryani as I never had the opportunity or inclination to taste it while growing up. But now, after having converted to an occasional meat eater, I wonder what's so special about the much-hyped biryani. But I have a feeling that all Biryani lovers would have a Biryani Blast!

Anyways, today's featured menu is North Arcot Serva which tastes best with Kuska Biryani  or Arcot Meat Biryani. It equally tastes good with any Vegetable Pulav of choice.

Ingredients (for 6-8people)
16#s Medium Purple Eggplants
2 Medium Yellow Onion, finely chopped
3 Medium Ripe Tomatoes, finely chopped
2 Stalk Curry Leaves, finely chopped
1-1/2 Tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste
1 Tbsp Whole Black Peppercorns
2 Tbsp Coriander Powder
1/2 Tsp Cumin Seeds
1/2 Tsp Fenugreek Seeds
1/4 Tsp Turmeric Powder
5-6 Green Chili, vertically slit with crown intact
Chili Powder, as/if needed
Salt, as needed
Golf Ball sized Tamarind, de-seeded and soaked in hot water for 15 minutes
3 Tbsp + 2 Tsp Canola Oil
2 Tbsp Black Sesame seeds (Optional)
2 Tbsp Peanuts (Optional)

For Masala Paste:
1 Tsp fine Pepper powder
1 Tsp Chili Powder
1/4 Tsp Turmeric Powder
1/4 Tsp Salt
1 Tbsp Canola Oil

For Tempering:
2 Red Chili
2 Green Chili
1 Stalk Curry Leaf
1/2 Tsp Mustard
1 Tsp Canola Oil

Procedure:
Add all the ingredients under "Masala Paste" in a small shallow plate. Combine the ingredients until a paste is formed. Quarter the eggplants with the crown intact.Smear a little paste on the insides of the quartered eggplants. Gently fry them in 2 Tsp of Canola Oil until they are browned on all sides. Move them to a plate.

In the same pan, heat 3 Tbsp of oil and add the cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and whole peppercorns. Fry them on medium flame for a minute or so.

Add the coriander powder, turmeric powder,green chilies along with ginger-garlic paste and fry them for a minute or so.

Add the finely chopped onions and saute till they are translucent. Follow up with chopped tomatoes and cook for a couple of minutes. Add little water and lid the pan. Cook till a gravy forms, approximately for 4-5 minutes.

Add the browned eggplants and cook for 7-8 minutes.

Extract a thick juice from the soaking tamarind pulp and add that to the pan. Add salt and check for taste. Now would be the time to add more chili powder or salt. Lid the pan and cook a further 5-6 minutes. 

Optional Step: Toast the sesame seeds and peanuts. Powder them together and add towards the end of cooking.

For tempering: Warm the Tsp of oil in a small skillet and add the other ingredients under "tempering" to the pan. Once the mustard seeds start sputtering,pour it over the Serva. Serva is now ready to be served with Kuska Biryani, Arcot Biryani or any Pulav with a side-serving of cooling "plain" Yogurt. Yes, plain Yogurt is better since the Serva packs quite a punch.

 Notes:
As with any tangy dish, this side-dish tastes super good the following day.
For a thick smooth gravy, its better to coarsely grind the onions and tomato prior to adding to the pan