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Peerkangai kathirikai masiyal served with chapati in a steel lunch box — ridge gourd brinjal dal ready in 15 minutes

Peerkangai Kathirikai Masiyal (Ridge Gourd Brinjal Dal)

Creamy, comforting South Indian masiyal made with ridge gourd, brinjal and toor dal in a pressure cooker. Ready in 15 minutes.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4 bowl
Course: Accompaniment, lunch, Side Dish
Cuisine: south indian, Tamil Nadu
Calories: 85
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Masiyal
  • 1/2 cup peerkangai (ridge gourd) peeled, chopped into ½-inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup kathirikai (brinjal / eggplant) chopped into ½-inch pieces
  • 1/4 cup Toor dal soaked in water for 15 minutes
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 2 whole red chilles
  • 1/4 tbsp turmeric powder
  • 1 small size tamrind or dissolved in 2 tbsp water
  • 1 cup water
  • to taste salt
Tempering
  • 1 tbsp gingelly oil sesame oil — don't substitute with regular oil
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • ½ tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 handful fresh curry leaves fresh only, not dried

Equipment

  • Pressure Cooker
  • Small tempering pan
  • Ladle

Method
 

  1. Peel the ridge gourd and chop into small, even ½-inch pieces. Chop brinjal the same size. Finely dice the onion. Soak toor dal in water while you prep 15 minutes is enough.
  2. Add peerkangai, kathirikai, soaked toor dal, onion, red chillies, turmeric, tamarind water, salt and 1 cup of water into the pressure cooker. Stir gently to combine. Do not mash at this stage.
  3. Pressure cook for 4 whistles . Close the lid and heat on high until the first whistle. Reduce to medium-high heat and cook for 3 more whistles (about 10–12 minutes total). Turn off the heat immediately after the 4th whistle. Let the pressure release
  4. Open the cooker once pressure has fully released. Use a ladle to mash everything together until creamy with some small chunks still visible. This is the classic kadayal texture — do not over-mash into a paste
  5. Heat 1 tbsp gingelly oil in a small pan on high heat. Add mustard seeds and wait for them to splutter. Add cumin seeds and fresh curry leaves — the leaves will darken in about 15 seconds. Pour the hot sizzling tempering directly over the masiyal and mix immediately. Serve warm.

Notes

  • Cut vegetables small and even — this is what gives the masiyal its creamy texture
  • Always use fresh curry leaves for the tempering, not dried
  • If your masiyal turns out watery, reduce water to ¾ cup next time — brinjal releases its own moisture during cooking
  • Make the tempering right before serving, not ahead of time — the sizzle is where the flavour comes from