Vangi Bath

A satisfying meal of eggplant and rice cooked with spices. It is an excellent way to use up leftover rice
Ingredients - Serves 4-5
  • 500 g eggplant (also known as aubergine/brinjal), cut into cubes
  • 1½ cups uncooked long-grain rice
  • 1 medium-sized (or 200 g) onion, sliced
  • 4 tbsp oil
  • 15 cashews, optional
  • 1½ tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • fresh coriander, chopped, optional
  • Salt, to taste
  • For the vangi bath masala
  • 3 tsp oil
  • 3 tsp split chickpeas (chana dal)
  • 3 tsp black gram (urad dal)
  • 3 dried red chillies, broken into small pieces (adjust based on your spice/heat tolerance)
  • 1½ tbsp coriander seeds
  • 3 tsp fresh or dried coconut, shredded
  • ¾ tsp sesame seeds
  • a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
Steps
  1. Cook the rice separately
    2. An {electric rice cooker} can be useful
  2. Spread onto a large tray and set aside to cool
  3. To make the masala
    1. Heat 2 tsp oil in a small pan. Fry all the ingredients for the masala till they start to brown
    2. Grind to a fine powder and set aside
  4. To make the vangi bath
    1. Heat 4 tbsp of oil in a large saucepan. Add cumin seeds and cashews and fry till the cashews are slightly brown
    2. Add onions and eggplant cubes and fry till the eggplant is completely cooked
    3. Add turmeric, vangi bath masala, cooked rice and salt
    4. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with a dollop of yoghurt
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