Vangibhaat
Vangibhaat is a south Indian rice preparation with aubergine (brinjal/vangi) and our family recipe given by my aunt Kalyanamma is spicy and delicious. I make the vangibhaat powder given by her in small quantities at home and it gets used up quite fast since all the children who live abroad and some of the family members who live in Bangalore always ask for a bottle of the spice powder to take away. The rest of them love to tuck in when it is made at home. You do get commercially made vangibhaat powder but it is mild and doesn’t have the same punch.
- 150 g Channa dhal
- 150 g Urad dhal
- 50 g dried chillies or chilli powder
- 50 g coriander seeds or dhaniya powder
- 10 g cloves
- 10 g cinnamon
- Roast, cool and grind into a powder.
- 200 g rice
- 500 g small aubergine (black or green brinjal/ vangi)
- 2 tbsp vangibhaat masala
- salt to taste
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
- Wash and cook the rice until fluffy. Cool.
- Slice the aubergine into thin sections and put into a dish containing salt water.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wide dish. Drain the aubergine and sauté in the hot oil with salt until almost cooked.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the vangibhaat masala and 1 tablesppon ghee. Cook for another 2 minutes under low heat. Cover and let cool.
- Mix the cooled rice and aubergine(brinjal/vangi) adding salt if required.
- Serve with extra ghee (optional)
Quantity of vangibhaat masala can be increased or decreased depending on the required spice level. If a large aubergine is used, it can become a bit mushy. Small green or purple brinjals will be more suitable.