Vangi Bhath | Vaangi Bhaat | Brinjal Rice
A popular recipe from Karnataka - Vaangi Bhaat which is the fried brinjal rice. A perfect potluck and lunch box recipe easy to prepare on weekdays.
Servings: 4
Calories:
Ingredients
- Rice - 1.5 cups
- Water - 3 cups + ½ cup
- Chopped Eggplant/Brinjal - ~ 2 cups
- Chopped Bell Pepper any color - ½ cup
- Shallots - 5
- Vaangi Bhaat Powder - 1 tbsp
- Turmeric Powder - ½ tsp
- Ghee - 2 tsps
- Jaggery - a small piece
- Tamarind Paste - 1 tsp optional
- Salt - 1.5 tsp
- Peanuts - 3 tbsps
To Temper
- Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
- Urad Dal - 1 tsp
- Channa Dal - 1 tsp
- Hing - ½ tsp
- Oil - 1 tbsp
- Cilantro and Curry leaves to garnish
Instructions
Prep Work
- Cook the rice in your preferred way, either in a pressure cooker or rice cooker or open stove top. Make sure the rice is non-sticky and grainy. (For one cup of rice, I used 2 cups of water and I used regular sona masoori rice for this recipe)
- Chop the shallots and bell pepper.
- Chop the brinjals lengthwise.
- Mix the tamarind paste in ½ cup of water and set aside or soak a small goose berry sized tamarind in 1 cup of water and extract the juice.
Steps
- Heat the kadai or pan and add oil.
- Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal and hing.
- As they start to splutter add the shallots and cook until they turn translucent.
- Then add the peanuts and bell peppers and fry them for couple of minutes.
- Now add the curry leaves too and mix well.
- Add the chopped brinjals, turmeric powder, vangi bhaat powder.
- Mix them well and add the tamarind extract. (Not more than ½ cup)
- Add the jaggery piece and cover and cook till the brinjals become semi-tender for about 3 to 4 minutes. (Make sure your don’t overcook, as brinjal might become mushy) As we cook again after removing the lid, half done stage is perfect.
- Now remove the lid and let ¾ of the water to evaporate and by now brinjals will be soft and tender.
- Turn off the heat and now add the cooked rice. Add the ghee on top and let it sit for few minutes.
- Now slowly mix this and garnish with cilantro.
- That’s it. Vaangi Bhaat is ready. Serve with your favorite raita.
Notes
- Basmati rice can be used instead of raw rice.
- Other veggies like chow-chow, ivy gourd can be used instead of brinjals.
- Tamarind extract is optional.
- Adjust the spices, salt, and jaggery according to your taste.
- Make sure the brinjals don’t get too mushy. Keep an eye on brinjal when cooking.
- While tempering cumin seeds can be added too, or instead of urad dal and channa dal, you can use mustard seeds and cumin seeds alone.