Vangi Bath / Brinjal Rice with Homemade Masala Powder

Vangi bath is known as Brinjal rice.Vangi bath / Brinjal rice  is a very easy to prepare south Indian rice dish made with brinjal and cooked rice adding freshly ground homemade vangi bath masala powder, ghee fried cashew nuts and coconut bits and can be served with onion curd raita..

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Vangi Bath  / Brinjal Rice.

Ingredients:
Cooked rice.         -3 cups
Brinjal.                 -2
Turmeric powder. -1/4 tsp
Tamarind juice.     -1/4 cup
Grated jaggery.      -1/2 tsp
Vangi bath masala powder.-2 tbsp
Cashew nuts.          -8
Coconut bits.          -2 tbsp
Peanuts.                  -2 tbsp
Urad dal.                 -1tsp
Chana dal.               -1 tsp
Mustard seeds.        -1 tsp
Cumin seeds.          -1 tsp
Dry red chilly.         -1
Curry leaves.           - few
Salt.                         - to taste
Ghee.                       -2 tsp
Oil.                          - 2 tbsp

Instructions:-
1). Wash and chop brinjals into 1 inch lengthy pieces and keep aside. Heat 1tsp ghee in a small pan and fry cashew nuts and coconut bits in ghee till golden colour and keep aside. In a bowl soak a gooseberry size tamarind in 1/2 cup of warm water for 5 minutes. Squeeze the soaked tamarind and extract tamarind juice and keep aside the tamarind extract.

2). For Homemade Vangi Bath Masala Powder:
Grated coconut. -1/2 cup
Dry red chilly.    -10
Urad dal.             -1/4 tsp
Chana dal.           -1/4 tsp
Coriander seeds.  -2 tbsp
Cumin seeds.        -1tsp
Methi seeds.          -1/4 tsp
Cinnamon stick.    -2 inch
Cloves.                  -1/2 tsp
Cardamom.            -3
Star anise.              -1
Poppy seeds.          -1tsp
Oil.                        - 2 tsp

Heat a pan and dry roast 2 inch pieces of cinnamon stick, 1/2 tsp cloves, 3 cardamom and 1star anise until nice aroma comes out and keep them on a plate. In the same pan dry roast 1tsp poppy seeds and keep them on the plate. In the same pan heat 2 tsp oil and roast 10 dry red chillies. Add 1/4 tsp urad dal, 1/4 tsp chana dal, 2 tbsp coriander seeds, 1tsp cumin seeds, 1/4 tsp methi seeds into the same pan and roast well until dals turn golden colour. Add 1/2 cup grated coconut into the pan and saute well until light golden brown. Switch off the flame and allow all the roasted ingredients to cool. Once cooled grind all the roasted ingredients together in a mixer to a coarse powder. Keep aside the coarsely ground vangi bath masala powder.

Method For Vangi Bath / Brinjal Rice: 
1). Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wide bottom pan on medium flame. Add urad dal and chana dal and saute well. Splutter mustard seeds. Add 1 dry red chilly broken pieces and curry leaves into the pan and saute well. Add peanuts and roast well in oil.

2). Add chopped brinjal pieces and saute well for 2 minutes.

3). Add turmeric powder, 1/2 cup tamarind extract and 1tsp salt into the pan and mix well. Cover and boil on medium flame for 5 minutes.

4). Add 2 tbsp coarsely ground vangi bath masala powder and grated jaggery into the pan and mix well.

5). Add cooked rice, ghee fried cashew nuts and coconut bits into the pan and mix well till the vangi bath masala powder is combined with cooked rice. Cover and cook for 5 minutes on low flame and switch off the flame

Vangi Bath / Brinjal Rice with homemade masala powder is ready to serve with onion curd raita.