Vangi Bath - Kathirikkai Sadam - Brinjal Rice - Using Pressure Cooker

Can you believe this? I cannot not believe it myself, a self confessed Brinjal lover/addict could have gone all these years without trying Vaangi Bhath, this famous member of Karnataka Cuisine?

Cook Books
Everybody has their favorite cook books and depending on the time you started using them, some have a special place in your heart. Mrs S. Mallika Badrinath's series of cook books are dear to me, especially the 100 Rice Delights - Variety Rice/Mixed rice genre of rice dishes for the ease speed and defintely the taste. Simple, precise instructions no fancy pictures. The other one in Tamil "Pavaiyarkana Palsuvai Malar" published by "Tuticorin Magalir Mandram" very basic but with a lot of information from beginner cooks to experts.

I looked up recipes for Vaangi Baath and checked my trusted cook books and finally settled on this combination. All the recipes called for cooking the rice separately and adding to the spice mix but I cooked the rice in the spice mix.

Heat the oil in a pressure cooker and add the seasonings. Add the brinjals and saute till they get soft.
Saute the ingredients give under spice powder and make a powder and it to the cooking brinjals.
Add the soaking rice and saute for a few minutes. Add water and let the rice cook to about 3/4th of the way. Place the weight on the pressure cooker and cook for another 6-6 minutes.

Vaangi Bhath - Brinjal Rice
Preparation Time:15 minutes
Baking Time:25 minutes

Ingredients

1. 2 long Purple Brinjals or about 8-10 small purple brinjals chopped into small pieces (any brinjal would work)
2. 1/2 Red Onion Chopped fine
3. 2 Green Chillies Slit
4. Seasonings cumin, curry leaves, cinnamon 1/2 inch piece broken
5. 2 tsp oil, 1/2 tsp ghee
6. 2 cups Basmati Rice (washed and soaked for at least 20 minutes) (3 cups of water) (see note:)
7. 1 tbsp of sour curd (yogurt)
8. 2 tsp turmeric powder
9. 6-8 broken cashews fried in a little bit of ghee for garnish (leave out for nut free and use any oil for vegan)

Spice Powder

1. 2 tsp cumin
2. 1 tbsp corriander seeds
3. 2 Red Chilies
4. 1 tsp Peppercorn
5. few methi seeds
6. 2 tbsp grated fresh or frozen coconut
7. 2 tsp of Bengal gram (kadalai paruppu
8. 2 tsp of urad dal
Dry roast the above one by one in a tsp of oil other than the coconut and transfer them to the blender. Roast the coconut in a lower heat for a minute and transfer to the blender and powder it.

Method

1. In a Pressure Cooker, heat the oil and ghee combination, add the cumin, mustard leaves and cinnamon pieces when they start to brown.
2. When you are doing this put the required amount of water for the rice to boil in a separate pan/kettle.
3. Add the onion and fry till translucent, add the slit green chillies and saute.
4. Now add the egg plants and saute for a few minutes, add salt and saute till the skin starts to turn color.
5. Now add the spice powder and mix well, turmeric powder add the the yogurt and mix well.
6. Add the drained rice and fry it for 2 minutes.
7. Add the boiling water, check for salt and let it cook and when the rice is about 3/4 cooked give a good mix, close the lid, place the weight and cook in medium low heat for 6-7 minutes. Remove from fire immediately. (OR)
   
8. If not using pressure cooker, close the lid, lower the heat to below medium and let the rice cook for 6-8 minutes, check now and then to make sure the rice does stick to the bottom.



Note:

9. The amount of rice depends on the brand of rice being used. Most Basmati rice require water in the the ratio of 1 1/2 cups of water to 1 cup of rice. If soaked the amount of water can be reduced a bit.




10. If you are using ingredients in the rice that release water then adjusting the water is important else use the full amount of water like for this rice which does not have any water releasing components.

Sprinkle the fried cashews on top and serve with onion-cucumber raita.