Code2Cook | Vegetarian and Healthy Recipes Collection: Vangi Bhat-Aromatic Rice Pilaf With Brinjal/Eggplant

One more memory from US stay.... In India yet to make again, but was great in taste. Planning for lunch this weekend.

I never had a chance to eat vangi bhat while we were in bangalore. But always having a keen desire of making it. After checking many blogs I found different ways of cooking. I was very confused about it because I never thought of brinjal mix with rice. So finally tried the way similer to lemon rice just added tamarind paste as an extra ingredient. When finished cooking I was so happy the way it came out J. Me and my husband loved it so much that next day my husband told me to make it for lunch too. Really a must try recipe for all J

Ingredients Sufficient For Two

1.5 Cup Sona Masoori rice (any kind of rice will work)

1 Medium sized onion chopped finely

1 dried bay leaf

1" cinnamon

4-5 Dry red chili

1 Tsp ginger-garlic paste

3-4 Green chilies slit or finely chopped (optional)

2 Fistful peanuts

3 Tsp chana dal/bengal gram

1 Tsp cumin seeds

1 Tsp mustard seeds

1/4 Tsp turmeric powder

3/4 Tsp red chili powder

1.5 Tsp tamarind paste

1 Sprig of curry leaves

Chopped green coriander for garnishing

4 Cup brinjal cur into big pieces

1/4 Tsp garam masala

Salt as per taste

Method: Soak the rice for half an hour. Cook them and let it cool to the room temperature.

Soak the chana dal/bangal gram too before one hour.

Heat the oil in a pan. Add dry red chili, bay leaf and cinnamon. Add

cumin and mustard seeds to this. Once they start spluttering add

onions, soaked chana dal and peanut and fry it till onion's color

changes to brown. This takes usually 2-3 min on medium heat.

To this add ginger-garlic paste & curry leaves and cook that for a min.

Now add turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala and salt as per taste. Mix well and put the cut brinjal/eggplant. Cook this until brinjal/eggplant become tender. It takes around 10-12 min. Add tamarind paste to it and mix well. Cook the brinjal/eggplant for another few min. When brinjal/eggplant are soft enough add them to the cooked rice and mix well. Adjust salt as per taste. garnish it with chopped coriander and serve hot with curd/pickle/chutney.