Sunday, August 25, 2013

Brinjal (eggplant) rice with tomato-onion-potato raita and veggie chips


Basmati rice and brinjal sabzi mixed for brinjal rice..  with raita and chips
Ingredients for brinjal rice
2 large variety brinjal chopped into small pieces
1 large onion chopped 
2-3 large tomatoes chopped
4-5 cups cooked white rice(any variety)

For Tadka(Saute) and seasoning
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp ginger grated or chopped
- 1 green chilli pepper chopped
- 1 tbsp vanghibath powder(MTR) OR 1 tbsp mixed cumin-dhania-red chilli powder
finely chopped coriander leaves
Red chilli powder, Turmeric and salt to taste


Directions:
  1. With a fork, separate the cooked rice..  so there are no chunky pieces.  Keep aside.
  2. Take oil in a deep wok/pan with a lid, add jeera and keep in meduim heat until it splutters.
  3. Add the chopped chilli pepper and grated ginger.  Stir well.
  4. Add the onion. Stir and cook for a couple of mins.
  5. Add the brinjal pieces, stir well
  6. Add in the tomatoes stir well
  7. Add salt and turmeric powder to taste and stir well.
  8. Add 1/4 cup of water or less, since the brinjal will let out water when cooked but you do need some for cooking, so the vegetable does not burn. 
  9. Stir, cover and let cook for a few minutes, repeat until the brinjal is semi cooked
  10. Add the vanghibath powder OR the dhania, jeera and red chilli powder.  You can add more or less based on your taste, to make it spicier or less.
  11. Stir well, cover and cook.  repeat until the brinjal has cooked completely, sprinkle water if needed
  12. As the brinjal cooks and disintegrate.  You will see the oil glistening.  Cook for a couple of mins without the lid reduce heat to lowest setting.
  13. In a bowl, remove a few spoonfuls of the cooked vegetable.  I like to keep some vegetable on the side as it tastes great with yogurt rice.
  14. Add the rice to the wok/pan and mix it well.  You could add ghee to make it tastier.. :).  Adjust the blend of rice to vege to taste.  Add salt if needed.
  15. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with raita and chips
Ingredients and method for making for the raita
Chop fine a Boiled/steamed potato, an onion, and two tomatoes,
Add a cup of blended plain yogurt, mix well and spice with a 1/4 tsp cumin powder and salt to taste.  (Optional - Add sautéed in a drop of oil, 1 finely chopped green chilli and a pinch of mustard seeds)

Tip learnt from mom: Often times brinjal will causes the throat to itch, sprinkle some tamarind dissolved in water to the vegetable while cooking to neutralize the enzyme.

The above is my dysfunctional style of cooking the traditional vanghibath.  Often times, I make the brinjal sabzi to go with chappati's or with yogurt rice.

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