Brinjal In Tangy Sauce (Gulla Bol Huli)

Gulla Bol Huli is a popular dish from the state of Karnataka in South India. It is made with green brinjal, which is boiled and then dipped in a tangy sauce.

Bol huli, majjige huli, and muddu huli are excellent curries from Udupi’s Brahmin population, and they’re a staple of the city’s cuisine. Brahmins (Kannada-speaking men) and Konkanis live in equal numbers in my hometown of Udupi (Konkani speaking guys). We Konkanis have undoubtedly been inspired by their delectable dishes. Bol and muddu hulis are spicy, acidic curries, while majjige huli is mild and prepared with buttermilk/yoghurt. 

Bol hulis are non-coconut curries that are watery and semi-thick. That explains the moniker “bolu huli” given to it. (It’s difficult to describe in English.) If you know Kannada, you’ll understand what I mean.) 

Bol hulis are prepared using a variety of vegetables, including brinjals, ash gourds, lady’s finger, and capsicums. My personal favorite is gulla bol huli prepared using Udupi’s matti gullas. 

Udupi matti gullas are a unique eggplant/aubergine/brinjal kind grown in Udupi. You may learn all there is to know about Matti Gulla by clicking here. They have a long history and are considered to be one of the most delicious brinjal varieties. Gulla bol huli is a spicy, tangy, basic huli/curry prepared from matti gulla that is just delicious.

Matti Gulla (Matti Gulla):

If you can’t locate matti gulla, you may create bol huli using any green brinjal. If you’ve eaten matti gulla bol huli previously, you may remark that the genuine flavor of gulla is absent.

For lunch and supper, Gulla bol huli is served as an accompaniment with rice, as a curry, or as a side dish to accompany with rice. We don’t like rice in our house, so we have this delicious curry without it. 

Brinjals are boiled with green chilies, tamarind, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric, a little jaggery, and toor dal to create gulla bol huli. To create a flavorful, delicious huli/curry, top with plenty of fresh coriander and coconut oil.

When the ingredients are combined in the correct proportions, this meal is simple to make and extremely delicious.

Ingredients:

• 2 matti gulla/brinjals, medium size
• 4-5 green chili peppers
• season with salt to taste
• 1 tamarind, about the size of a lemon
• red chili powder (1/2 teaspoon) (optional)
• turmeric powder, a pinch
• a half teaspoon of jaggery powder
• a half cup of toor dal
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves
• 2 to 3 teaspoons coconut oil

3–4 people

Time to Prepare: 35 minutes

Preparation method:

1. Constraints Cook the toor dal until it is soft and mushy.

2. In a cooking pot, heat 2 cups of water.

3. Meanwhile, soak the tamarind for 15 minutes in boiling water. After 15 minutes, gently press the tamarind in the water with your hands to ensure that as much of the tamarind pulp as possible dissolves in the water.

4. Meanwhile, wash and cut the matti gulla/brinjals into large dices, then place them in a basin of water to prevent oxidation. Brinjal pieces also release whatever bitterness they contain into the water, a process known as chogru in Kannada and Konkani.

5. Once the water is boiling, add the toor dal, diced matti gulla/brinjal, jaggery, salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, sliced green chilies, and tamarind water (straining off any tamarind bits left out).

6. Cook over medium heat, turning occasionally, until the brinjal is thoroughly done; in the end, we want chunky bits of brinjal in the bol huli, as well as some crushed, dissolved brinjal, to give the curry a wonderful thickness. 

Toor dal that has been well cooked also contributes to the thickening and flavor of this dish. However, if the toor dal is used in excess, it may overpower the flavor of the brinjal in the curry.  

7. Cooking the brinjals with the rest of the ingredients results in a delicious curry.

8. Once the brinjal is cooked through and the sauce has thickened, remove it from the fire.

9. Stir in finely chopped fresh coriander and a drizzle of coconut oil.

10. Serve the curry over rice while it’s still hot.

P.S. The jaggery is just added to balance the dish. We’ll need a tangy, spicy gravy. Check the salt, green chilies, and other ingredients to see if they need to be adjusted.

Here’s how to make the renowned majjige huli from Udupi cuisine. 

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