Baingan/Eggplant Rice
One more inclusion to the list of variety rice 🙂 These one pot meals are very easy to make and carry in lunch boxes. Vaangi baath or Baingan baath is a recipe which is very close to my heart. My mom used to make it quite often when we were growing up. Staying in Mumbai, we had lot of Maharashtrian friends and my mom had learnt this from a Marathi aunty. I had completely forgotten this dish after marriage, as hubby is not at all a fan of coloured rice. He prefers white rice along with a side dish and curry any day.
When Neha started growing up, she started liking to take such variety rice on some days for her school lunch  to get a break from the regular roti-subzi. That was the time when I started raking my brains for such easy recipes which can be managed without much fuss during the busy morning hours. And surprisingly, Neha liked like it a lot when I made it for the first time. Now this has become a regular fare in our menu.
Ingredients:
- Eggplant 150-200 gm
- Jeera samba/Sona Masuri rice 1 cup
- Onion 1 big
- Green chillies 3-4
- Garlic 2-3 cloves
- Ginger 1 inch piece
- Salt to taste
- Refined oil 1-2 tbsp
- Turmeric powder 3/4 tsp
- Garam masala 1 tsp
- Sesame seeds 1 tsp
- Roasted peanuts 2 tbsp
- Freshly grated coconut 2 tbsp
- Cumin seeds 1 tsp
- Coriander leaves 4-5 sprigs
- Mint leaves 4-5 sprigs
- Curry leaves 2 sprigs
- Ghee 1-2 tsp (optional)
Method:
- Wash and drain the rice and keep it aside for atleast 15-20 minutes.
- Cut the brinjals into small cubes and keep it soaked it water.
- Slice the onions finely and keep aside.
- Take a mixer and grind green chillies, garlic, ginger, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, roasted peanuts, freshly grated coconut, few coriander leaves, mint leaves and curry leaves into a fine paste.
- Heat oil in a pressure pan. Saute the sliced onions till it is pink in colour.
- Add the ground masala and fry for some more time. Add the brinjal pieces and saute.
- Add turmeric powder and garam masala. Add the soaked rice and mix well. Add salt and pour 3 cups water and bring to a boil.
- Close the lid with the whistle and lower the flame to minimum. Cook for 12-15 minutes.
- Open the lid and garnish with coriander and mint leaves. Sprinkle little ghee on top and serve with raita and papad.
Notes:
- If you have enough time at your disposal, soak the rice for atleast 30-40 minutes.
- Instead of green chillies, you can add red chilli powder and little coriander powder.
- You can even dry roast the spices and grated coconut before grinding it.
- The amount of spices can be changed according to one’s preferences.
