Vaangi (eggplant) bhaat (rice)

Ingredients:

For the powder:

Dried red chilies - 12

Chana dal - 2 tbsp

Udad dal - 2 tbsp

Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp

Fenugreek seeds - 1.5 tsp

Poppy seeds - 4.5 tsp

Cinnamon - 3 x 2" pieces

Cardamom pods - 2 tbsp

Cloves - 3/4 tsp

Coconut, dried and grated (I used unsweetened dessicated coconut chips) - 1/2 cup

Oil - 1 tbsp

 

For the gravy:

Oil (I used sesame) - 3 tbsp

Eggplant, cut into bite-size pieces, soaked in salt water for 20 min - 1/2 to 1 medium

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Udad dal - 1 tsp

Asafoetida - a pinch

Red chilies - 4

Peanuts - 1/4 cup

Turmeric - a pinch

Vaangi bhaat powder - 5 tsp

Jaggery or sugar - 1 tsp

Tamarind pulp - 4 tbsp

Water - 1/2 cup

Salt - to taste

Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup

Rice:

Wash and soak 2 cups of rice for 20 min, then cook. After 15 min, fluff with a fork.

 

Method:

Preparing the powder: heat 1/4 tbsp oil and fry the red chilies for up to two minutes or until they start turning black. Remove onto a plate. Add the remaining oil and fry the following in order: chana dal, udad dal, coconut, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, cinnamin, cardamom, cloves, and finally the poppy seeds. The poppy seeds be the fastest to roast so they shouldn't spend a lot of time in the pan. Set aside to cool. Grind all the ingredients into a powder. To prepare vangi bhaat, use 2.5 tbsp of this powder per cup of uncooked rice. The powder can be stored in an airtight container.

Preparing the paste:

Heat oil and crackle mustard seeds and udad dal. Roast the peanuts and add the red chilies and asafoetida and stir for a couple of minutes. Add the eggplants that have been sitting in salted water, salt, and turmeric. Cover and cook on medium heat for 10 min or until eggplant pieces start to soften. Add tamarind water mixed with sugar/jaggery and the vaangi bhaat powder. Mix well and cook until the sauce thickens. At this point, taste the sauce for salt. It's better if it's slightly oversalted, to account for the rice into which it will be mixed.

Mix with cooked rice and serve with chips and raita.

Author: Shrinkingsodacan

Source: This recipe and this recipe.