Vangi Bath - Baby Augberine Rice

I dunno where this recipe had its origin...But my hubby told me that they used to have it for mid-morning meal in Shimoga (Karnataka) where he did his engineering...He is a big fan of Brinjal/Egg Plant/Augberines...Though I do not like this vegetable a lot, I use it frequently in my kitchen to satiate my hubby's palate...It's a bit painstaking, but for those who love this vegetable, this recipe would be a perfect main dish in their meal.

Ingredients:

For the spice powder,

Cumin seeds - 2 teaspoon

Dhania (Coriander seeds) - 1 teaspoon

Blackgram dal - 3 teaspoon

Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Red chillies - 4 small

Cinnamon - 1 inch stick broken into tiny pieces

Cloves - 3-4

Oil - 2 teaspoons

Heat the oil in a skillet and roast all the above ingredients. Take care not to burn them. Cool the mixture and grind into a smooth powder in a mill. Set this aside.

Ingredients for the Vangi Bath:

Basmati Rice - 4 cups (Cooked)

Spice powder - 2 table spoons
Baby Augberines/vankayalu/Brinjals/Baby eggplants - 500gm - cleaned and cut into chunks

Onions - 1 large (sliced)
Green chillies - 5 chopped

Tamarind juice - 1 table spoon

Jaggery - 1 teaspoon (grated)
Turmeric - 1/4th teaspoon
Cashews - 10-12 (dry roasted)

Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon

Curry leaves - 10

Chana Dal - 1 teaspoon

Salt - to taste

Oil - 100ml

Procedure:

1. Heat the oil in a wide bottomed pan. When the oil get hot, add the chana dal, mustard seeds and curry leaves.

2. When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add the green chillies and onion pieces and saute until onions turn transperent.

3. Now add the turmeric and brinjal pieces and close the pan with a lid cook on medium flame for about 5-7min.

4. When the brinjal pieces start turning soft add the tamarind juice, salt, spice powder and grated jaggery and mix well. Add little water if the mixture is too dry. Cook on medium flame for 3-4min.

5. Now add the cooked Basmati Rice and mix thoroughly.

6. Garnish with roasted cashews.

Serve warm with raitha or any low-spice leveled chutney (like coconut chutney). Can be consumed on its own too...

You can add dessicated coconut as a supplement.

I would like to submit this as an entry to the JFI event for August hosted by Sharmi of Neivedyam.