Vaangi Bhaat | Brinjal Rice

I do take some recipes for granted. This Vaangi Bhaat is one of mom's signature dishes.Almost a year ago,I posted the Vaangi Bhaat Spice powder . I prepared this rice but never got around to post it. After a few weeks the spice mix was over and I forgot about the recipe that had to be posted.

Last night when I was going through the various recipe name to prepare something with 'V', out of the blue, this name struck me.I remember writing down this recipe as mom dictated and yes, i found it in my drafts!!

I was so happy that I need not write the recipe and I prepared a fresh batch of spice mix this morning and also made this dish.

Vaangi Bhaat is a dish from Karnataka and it literally means Brinjal Rice and is quite popular too..

Mom uses:

Rice - 1 cup
Vaangi bhaat spice mix - 2 tablespoons
Brinjal- 1/4 kilo
Mustard -1 teaspoon
Urad dal- 1 teaspoon
Gram dal-1 teaspoon
Red chilli -1, broken
Curry leaves- a few
Oil- 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste

Roasted groundnuts-2 tablespoons,coarsely crushed
Toasted sesame seeds- 1 teaspoon

1. Cook rice so that grains are separate and spread out on a plate to cool.
2. Wash the brinjal and cut it into thin strips. Keep under water till ready to use.
3. Heat oil in a pan put in mustard, urad dal and gram dal.
4. When the mustard crackles and the dal turns brown, add the curry leaves and the drained brinjal.[Discard the water].
5. Lower the flame and saute brinjal till it is almost cooked.[I usually don't sprinkle water and let it cook.I just saute it on low flame spreading teh brinjal in the pan so that it sort of gets crisp.]
6. Add the vaangi bhaat spice mix and salt. Mix well.
7. Put in the cooked rice and mix well.
8. Let it cook on low flame for a few minutes for the flavors to combine.
9. Just before switching off the flame add the peanuts and sesame seeds.
10. Mix it and serve hot with pappad / raita.

Note :

• Adjust the spice mix to suit your taste
• The addition of roasted peanuts and sesame seeds is optional. But they give a nice crunch to the dish.
• You can make this with leftover rice too..

Take a look at the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#26

Bon Appetit...