Vangi Bath | Brinjal Rice Recipe

• Cooked Basmati Rice – 1 cup
• Brinjal Long – 4
• Big Onion – 1
• Green Chilli – 1
• Tamarind – Small gooseberry sized
• Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp
• Cashew – 7 to 8 broken
• Salt – To taste

• Red Chilli – 3 to 4
• Coriander Seeds – 1 tsp
• Channa Dal – ½ tblsp
• Urad Dal – 1 tsp
• Cumin Seeds – ½ tsp
• Methi Seeds – 1 tsp
• Curry Leaves – 1 sprig
• Grated Coconut – 1 tblsp

• Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
• Channa Dal – 1 tsp
• Bay Leaf – 1
• Cinnamon – ½ stick
• Cloves – 2
• Elachi – 2
• Ghee / oil – 2 tblsp

Instructions
1. Soak basmati rice in water for 30 minutes. Rinse and cook the rice for 3 whistles. Rice and water ratio is 1:2 cups. Let it cool down. Soak tamarind in water and extract tamarind pulp. Chop onions and brinjal lengthwise into 2 to 3 pieces. Slit green chilli’s.
2. In a pan roast all the ingredients (except grated coconut) given in the table to ‘To Roast and Grind’. Switch off flame, add coconut and give a quick stir. Allow it to cool. Grind it in a mixer to a fine powder. Heat oil / ghee in a pan. Fry cashews and keep aside. Temper all the ingredients given in the table ‘To Temper’. Add onion, chillies and fry till transparent.

3. Now add brinjal and saute well. Add tamarind water, turmeric powder, required salt and bring to boil till brinjal get cooked. Add the grinded spices and mix well.

4. Cook for 5 minutes in low flame. Now the brinjal binds with the masala and looks like a thick gravy. Add this masala to the cooked rice and mix carefully so, that the brinjals doesn’t get mashed.
Drizzle a teaspoon of ghee and garnish with cashews. Serve it hot with any poriyal or vadam.