Vangi Bhath or Eggplant Rice is easy to make, flavorful and appetizing rice recipe with a unique taste prepared using eggplant and aromatic spices. Sometimes simplest recipes are the best!
This can be served alone or with some chips or raita for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner 🙂 Overall a recipe that can be served anytime of the day and will be loved by all. Vangi means bringal, eggplant, aubergines, baingan; and bhaat or baat or bhath means rice. You will see variations to this recipe in Karnataka and Maharashtra. I prepare it the way I have given below. Very simple and straightforward. This is even good for bachelors if you have the spice mix on hand.
In my recipe today, I have used vangi bhaat powder from MTR. The quality of this powder will either make your end result good or bad. So use a good one. You can always prepare this powder at home. Let me know if you need homemade powder recipe and I would be very happy to share. Traditionally green eggplant is used in the recipe but because the purple one is most commonly used and easily available here in USA I have used that in my recipe.
This vangi bhaat recipe converted me from an eggplant hater to a lover.
First cook the rice, use any type of rice you love - basmati, long grain white rice, sona masuri, or even jasmine rice. While the rice is cooking, prepare the masala. Finally toss in the cooked rice in this masala and you are done 🙂 If you have any leftover rice then this recipe is super simple and can be prepared in less than 15 minutes 🙂
Don't forget to garnish it with some finely chopped raw red onions. Yes, you read it right - raw onions. This is going to take this dish to the next level. Do try serving it this way and let me know how you liked it 🙂 There are many other optional ingredients you can add into this recipe. I have mentioned some of them in the tips section.
Preparation time : 30 minutes
Serves : 2
Follow me on Instagram and tag me with #cookwithkushi so that I get a chance to see all the recipes you make and give it a ♥.
Ingredients for Vangi Bhath
Rice - 1 cup
Vegetable oil -1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Dry Red chile - 1
Cashews chopped- 2 ½ tbsp
Onion chopped - 1
Green chile chopped- 1
Eggplant chopped - 2 ½ to 3 cups
Tomato chopped - 1
Chat Masala - ½ tsp
Vangi baath powder - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Salt - to taste
Coriander leaves , onion - for garnish
Steps to prepare Vangi Bhath
Step I
- Wash the rice and cook it according to the package instructions. I would suggest adding some salt while cooking.
- Long grain basmati or sona masuri tastes the best.
- If using left over rice, ignore Step I.
Step II
- Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Add mustard seeds, crush and add the dry red chile.
- When mustard seeds splutter add cashews and saute till they become light brown in color.
- Add chopped onions and green chile along with a pinch of salt, and saute till onions turn translucent.
- Add eggplant, cover with the lid and cook them on medium flame by sauteing it occasionally.
- Once eggplant is 90 % cooked, add tomato, chat masala, vangi bhaat powder, turmeric powder, salt and mix well.
- Let this cook for another 2 minutes.
- Finally add in cooked rice and toss till everything is combined.
- Vangi Bhaat is now ready. Serve with finely chopped onions, some raita and enjoy.
Tip:
- You can garnish with some grated coconut flakes.
- Instead of cashews you can add peanuts.
- For tempering you can also add in some urad dal and channa dal.
- I have added tomatoes. Traditionally tamarind pulp is added to the recipe.
- For additional flavor you can also add asafoetida (hing) and curry leaves.
***Click below to save it on Pinterest***
Leave a Reply