Vangi Bath (eggplant rice/ kathrikai sadam) is a typical Karnataka dish made with brinjals and a nice blend of spices. The dish is simple to be made for a lunchbox and elegant enough to be made for a party too. Here comes the recipe.
Ingredients I
Rice (I prefer basmati rice) - 2 cups
Brinjal - 2 big eggplants/ 4 medium/ 6 small (cut into big chunks)
Onion (optional) - 1 big (finely chopped)
Tomato - 1 / Sour Curd - 1/4 cup
Green Chillies - 2
Whole garam masala - 1 tblsp (1 stick cinnamon, 3 cloves, 1 star anise, 2 cardomon,1
bay leaf)
Oil (preferably sesame oil)/ Ghee - 2 tblsp
Ground nuts (optional) - 1 tbsp (roasted)
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Coriander leaves(Cilantro) - 2 tblsp(finely chopped)
Asaefoetida - a pinch
Ingredients II
Corriander Seeds - 1 tblsp.
Chana dal - 1 tblsp
Urad dal - 1 tblsp
Kus kus - ½ tsp
Sesame seeds - 1 tblsp
Peppercons - 1 tsp
Dry red chillies - 2 or 3
Curry leaves - 1 strand
Copra or coconut(grated) - 2 tblsp
Method
1. Heat little oil in a pan and roast all the spices under 'ingredients II' till they turn golden brown.
2. Let it cool down and then grind it into a coarse powder (vangibath powder) and keep aside.
3. Soak the rice for 10-15 minutes, cook it seperately with required salt and keep aside.
4. Heat oil/ghee in a deep pan, add the whole garam masala and groundnuts. Saute the onions and green chillies till it turns golden brown.
5. Next add the tomatoes/ sour cud and saute it.
6. Add the eggplant pieces, turmeric, asaefoetida and little salt to it.
7. Add the vangibath masala powder to this, cover and let it cook till the eggplant (brinjal) is cooked nicely.
8. Add the cooked rice to this and mix well so that the rice is nicely coated with the masala.
(Alternatively, if you do not have cooked rice, add this masala along with rice and cook it.)
9. Garnish the vangi bath with finely chopped cilantro. Serve with papad and raita.
Tips
- A tblsp of lemon juice can be added at the end for additional flavour.
- You can cook the rice with coconut milk to make it extra rich.
- You can make the vangibath powder in bulk and store it for several days.
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