Vangi Bhath or Eggplant Rice is a popular variety rice from Karnataka. When in Bangalore I got to savour this delicious rice and i have become a great fan of it. This dish generally is served with thick coconut chutney,  papat and raita.

       After marriage i dont know the right mix of masalas to prepare this rice dish  and was initially making it with ready mix powders and did not like the taste much. Once i got the right proportion of ingredients, i tried this dish again and it has now become my favorite family variety rice.

       You can prepare this powder and store in air tight container and use it for a month. But i always grind the masala powder freshly. Generally the vangi bath is prepared using green long brinjal variety. But you can prepare with any brinjal you get. You can make this variety rice with left over rice too.



INGREDIENTS:

Brinjal/ Egg plant (green long thin variety), cut into small long pieces- 3
Rice (Basmathi/Ponni/ Any rice used to make lunch)- 1 cup
Dried Red chilli- 3
Coriander seeds- 2 teaspoons
Coconut, grated- 2 tablespoons
Urad dhal/ Black gram dhal- 2 teaspoons
Bengal gram dhal/ Channa dhal- 2 teaspoons
Green cardamom/ Elaichi-2
Cinnamon bark- 1 small piece
Asafetida- pinch
Ghee- 1 tablespoon
Oil- 2 teaspoons
Curry leaves-1 sprig
Cashewnuts, broken- 4
Salt- to taste
Lemon- 1/2(or) tamarind water- 3 teaspoons


PROCEDURE:

  • In a pan dry roast dried red chillies, coriander seeds, coconut, urad dhal, channa dhal, cardamom and cinnamon, till light golden colour. Allow to cool and make in blender as a fine powder.
  • Roast broken cashew nuts in ghee and set aside.
  • Half cook the rice with salt and drain excesss water; Allow to cool and set aside.
  • Cut brinjal into 1 inch long thin stips and soak it in water to avoid browning.
  • Heat oil with a teaspoon of ghee in a pan and roast the brinjal till the skin gets the white colour.
  • Sprinkle some salt; add some curry leaves and roast the curry leaves in that oil to get the curry leaves' flavour.
  • Now add the powdered spice mixture, add asafetida and mix well. (If you are planning to use tamarind juice instead of lemon juice add now add allow to boil and cook till the raw smell leaves)
  • Since the masala has dhal in it, it easily can form lumps, so sprinkle some water in the masala (if required) and add rice mixing well with out any lumps till the rice and masala are evenly mixed together.
  • Now add the cahew nuts and cook for a minute. 
  • Squeeze the lemon juice and mix well. Add salt if required.