Gotsus in TamiNadu cooking are different from the Gojjus of Karnataka.
Gotsus go well with pongal , arisi upma etc.
Gotsu is a “must” item in all functions, served with breakfast, with or without onions.
Gotsus Without Moong dhal:
1 – Big Brinjal Gotsu –there is no cooking in this.
This is made with deep puple coloured big brinjal , nearly as big as a coconut.
Select light brinjals with bright green stems – if they are light, they will have less seeds & be fresh as well. Roast it as for Baingan Bartha.
Lightly smear it with oil, roast it well on a medium flam till the skin turns completely black. You can do this in the microwave, easily – make 2,3 slits(to prevent bursting), wrap in clingfilm & microwave for 5 mts on Hi, turnig it twice in between. Keep it in a container for some time till it cools completely. Peel the skin as much as possible – a little unpeeled skin, here & there, does not matter.
Do not show it under water from a tap. See that you don’t remove the flesh with the skin ! Mash it coarsely.
Brinjal - 1 (about 250 gms)
Green Chillies - 2,3
Tamarind paste - 2 tsp (or less)
Hing powder - ˝ tsp
Salt
Coriander leaves - few
To temper:
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - ˝ tsp
Add about 2 cups of water to the tamarind paste, mix salt & hing powder.
Slit the green chillies, add it to this water along with brinjal pulp & thoroughly mix all ingredients to blend well – this is generally done with hand, crushing the chillies lightly, to release the flavour fully.
If it is not your preference, use a potato masher.
Temper & garnish with coriander leaves.
In this, the tamarind water shoud be used thin, so that the gotsu will not be mushy.
2 – Brinjal – Tomato – green chillies
Any tender variety of brinjals can be used.
Cubed brinjals - 1 cup
Cubed tomatoes - ˝ cup
Green chillies - 2,3 chopped
Oil - 2 tsp
Tamarind paste - 1 tsp
Besan - 2 tsp
Salt, hing
To temper:
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - ˝ tsp
Small onions - 5,6 (finely chopped)
In a kadai, fry in 2 tsp oil, brijals, tomatoes & green chillies till well fried.
Add tamarind paste with water, salt & haldi.
Allow to boil in a medium flame, till brinjal becomes soft.
Mix beasan in ˝ cup of water, add, stirring continuously to prevent lump formation.
When well cooked, remove.
Temper as given – chopped onions should turn brown.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
3 – Brinjal – Tomato – sambar powder.
Take the same weight of brinjals & tomatoes.
Brinjal can be medium or big variety, not the small variety, because roasting has to be done.
Brinjals - 250 gms
Tomatoes - 250 gms
Sambar powder - 2 tsp
Tamarind paste - 1 tsp (optional)
Salt, haldi
Coriander leaves - to decorate
To temper:
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - ˝ tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Gram dhal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Hing powder - ˝ tsp
Roast brinjals & lightly mash the pulp.
Blanch, peel & liqidise tomatoes.
In a kadai, heat oil, temper the given ingredients & add tomato pulp.
When the pulp starts boiling add tamarind paste (if you are using it), water, haldi sambar powder, brinjal pulp & salt.
Add enough water to get the correct consistency.
When the mixture becomes well blended & cooked, remove.
If you like, you can fry in 1 tsp oil, green chillies & small onions, both finely chopped & add as garnishing along with coriander leaves.
4 - With moong dhal:
Moong dhal ˝ cup
Brinjals ( small or medium) - 3, 4
Onions - 2
Tomatoes - 2,3
Green chillies - 2
Oil - 1 tbsp
Tamarind paste - 1 tsp
Salt, haldi
Coriander leaves - to garnish
Soak lightly roasted dhal in boiling water for 1 hour.
Chop brinjals, onions, tomatoes & green chillies into small pieces.
In a pressure pan, heat oil, add onions & green chillies, tomatoes,& brinjals adding each one after the previous ingredient is well fried.
Add dhal, correct amount of water, salt & haldi.
If you are using tamarind paste, add at this stage.
Close the cooker & cook for one whistle – 2, if you prefer it soft.
Cool, open, lightly mash & garnish.
You can omit tamarind paste & add lime juice instead.
Temper ˝ tsp mustardseeds in ˝ tsp oil.
5 - Kalyana Gotsu
Moong dhal ˝ cup
Chow chow ˝
Ridge gourd a piece
Potato 1 medium
Tomatoes 4
Small onion ˝ cup
Green chillies 3-4
Curryleaves & coriander leaves
Salt, haldi & hing powder
Oil 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Udad dhal 2 tsp
Gram dhal 2 tsp
Soak moong dhal in 1 ˝ cups boiling water for I hr.
Chop all vegetables &green chillies into small pieces.
In a pressure pan heat oil , temper mustard seeds , udad dhal , gram dhal , hing powder– when done add finely chopped onions , fry – then add other chopped vegetables & green chillies.
Fry for sometime & then add chopped tomatoes .
When tomatoes start getting cooked add dhal, water, salt &curry leaves .
Close the cooker , keep the weight & cook for 2 whistles.
Cool, open & lightly mash if you like.
If you prefer it very soft , you can cook for 1 or 2 more whistles.
If you like it sour add some tamarind water with dhal.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
Kalyana gotsu photo is posted beloe.