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Chidambaram Kathirikai / Brinjal Gothsu

Name: Chidambaram Kathirikai / Brinjal Gothsu
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 7 Brinjal (Sliced, Thinly, brinjals kathirikai or thinly sliced after washing and removing stem); 10 onion (chopped, medium sized, peel off the skin & chop them each in to 2 or 3 pieces baby chinna vengayam); 1 cup Tamarind Juice (or lemon, or tamarind squeezed out from lemon size tamarind); 1.5 tsp Salt (or as per taste); 1/4 spoon Turmeric Powder (Haldi, tea); 4 spoons Oil (tb); Mustard Seeds (Rai, urad dal and curry leaves for seasoning); 1 Gooseberry (or jagerry jagerry size); 1/2 spoon Asafoetida (Hing, or asafoetida asafoetida tea); 5 spoons Coriander Seeds (tea); 2 gm Chana Dal (Split Chickpeas, bengal tea); 2 spoon Split Black Gram (Urad Dal, tea); 1 spoon Pepper (cumin seeds tea spoon tea); 5 Red Chillies (or); 1/2 spoon Fenugreek Leaves (Methi Dana, tea); 1 Brown Powder (dry roast all the above items in pan separately golden and them together and keep aside)

Subhashni Venkatesh
June, 2025

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Chidambaram Kathirikai / Brinjal Gothsu - Plattershare - Recipes, food stories and food lovers

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4.50 from 4 votes

South Indian

About Chidambaram Kathirikai / Brinjal Gothsu

Just as Tirunelveli is celebrated for halwa and Manaparai for murukku, Chidambaram is renowned for its irresistible Kathirikai (Brinjal) Gothsu—a truly iconic South Indian delicacy. Unlike the typical gothsu that's served as a pourable gravy, this version is cooked down to a thick, almost pickle-like consistency, bursting with bold flavors and a tantalizing aroma.

This famous dish is traditionally offered with sambha rice at Lord Nataraja Temple, prepared without onions for a pure, classic taste. However, when served in hotels or festive feasts, the addition of small onions lends a delightful sweetness and extra depth, making it a mouth-watering, spicy, and flavorful side that pairs beautifully with almost anything on your plate.

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Recipe Time & More

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time35 minutes mins

Served AsLunch

Recipe TasteBitter Crunchy Salty Spicy

Calories 749 kcal

Servings 5

Cook Mode(keep my screen on)

Ingredients

▢ 7 Brinjal (Sliced, Thinly, brinjals kathirikai or thinly sliced after washing and removing stem)
▢ 10 onion (chopped, medium sized, peel off the skin & chop them each in to 2 or 3 pieces baby chinna vengayam)
▢ 1 cup Tamarind Juice (or lemon, or tamarind squeezed out from lemon size tamarind)
▢ 1.5 tsp Salt (or as per taste)
▢ 1/4 spoon Turmeric Powder (Haldi, tea)
▢ 4 spoons Oil (tb)
▢ Mustard Seeds (Rai, urad dal and curry leaves for seasoning)
▢ 1 Gooseberry (or jagerry jagerry size)
▢ 1/2 spoon Asafoetida (Hing, or asafoetida asafoetida tea)

For Spice Powder

▢ 5 spoons Coriander Seeds (tea)
▢ 2 gm Chana Dal (Split Chickpeas, bengal tea)
▢ 2 spoon Split Black Gram (Urad Dal, tea)
▢ 1 spoon Pepper (cumin seeds tea spoon tea)
▢ 5 Red Chillies (or)
▢ 1/2 spoon Fenugreek Leaves (Methi Dana, tea)
▢ 1 Brown Powder (dry roast all the above items in pan separately golden and them together and keep aside)

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Instructions

▢
Heat a heavy bottomed pan with oil. Fry the brinjals till they become dull and light brown in colour. Now put the sliced Onions to the pan and fry for 2 minutes more.
▢
Now add the salt, asafoetida powder, some curry leaves and turmeric powder and mix well. Pour the tamarind juice in to it. When they start boiling and brinjals are cooked well, with a masher or ladle just mash the brinjals well. Add jagerry too.
▢
When the gravy gets thickened add the spice powder and mix well. Boil the stuff till the oil separates. Do the seasoning with mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves.

Recipe Notes

Additional Tips

For an authentic temple-style taste, skip the onions and add a pinch of hing (asafoetida) and a few curry leaves during tempering to enhance the aroma and replicate the traditional offering.
If you prefer a smokier flavor, roast the brinjals directly over an open flame until charred, peel off the skin, and mash before adding to the gothsu; this technique imparts a subtle depth reminiscent of baingan bharta.
To balance the bitterness sometimes found in brinjals, soak the cut pieces in salted water for 10-15 minutes before cooking; this also helps retain their texture and prevents discoloration.
Leftover gothsu can be refrigerated for up to three days and tastes even better the next day as the flavors deepen; it also makes a tangy spread for dosas or a unique topping for toasted bread.

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Subhashni Venkatesh

I am a native of Kanyakumari district, brought up in Tiruchirapalli, and settled in Tirunelveli. I started exploring cooking at the age of 15 and learned a variety of recipes from my two grandmothers, friends, aunts, mother, and mother-in-law.

Cooking is, of course, my passion. I work as a teacher, and my colleagues love to receive recipes and tips from me, just as I enjoy learning from them. My son and husband encourage me to experiment with and innovate new dishes."

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4 Comments

ishita bodh

June 10, 2022 / 10:09 pm Log in to Reply

This looks so inviting! I’m eager to try it.
Maheep Mihir

September 2, 2018 / 3:24 pm Log in to Reply

What a delicious recipe! Thanks for posting.
Aarti Rawt

November 24, 2015 / 8:13 am Log in to Reply

I’m excited to make this at home!
Abhishek sikaria

March 17, 2015 / 7:01 pm Log in to Reply

Absolutely fantastic! Thanks for the recipe.