Yum! Yum! Yum!

Vankaya (Brinjal) Pulao is a spicy rice dish cooked with the Brinjal ( Vankaya / Egg Plant) and spices under pressure. This is a One Pot Meal which will be handy for your Friday Dinners or Saturday Suppers or Sunday Picnics. This recipe uses the Homemade Vangee Bath Masala that I have posted recently. My version of Vangee Bath Masala is purely made satvivk ( the spice powder made with Lentils), so I have added some spices cinnamon, clove to add some non-veggish kick to this rice and added some grated coconut to give that mild sweetness to cool off those spices. I strongly suggest to serve this rice with cool raita. If you have this Vangee Bath Masala handy then you can make this rice in less than 30 minutes making your Dinner Special and different from routine. I will take the pride in creating this new recipe which is  inspired by the recipe of Vangee Bath but made completely differently.

Vankaya Pulao

You all know by now, I am a big fan of Vankaya ( Brinjal) and I love any dish that's made with it, My mom is also huge fan of this wonderful vegetable because one can make several varieties and cook this veggie in many forms.  ( may be I inherited the like for this veggie from my mommy). But this rice dish got several praises from hubby too and he always gets surprised how i make these special meal in minutes ( esp after i return from work). Well I have revealed my secret here now. :-). I would say this is a complete winner recipe in my family. With out any due let me share the recipe, Njoy!


Ingredients:
Onion - 1/2 medium
Green Chili - 3
Tomato - 1 ( roma)
Baby Egg Plant - 8 ( or japaneese egg plant)
Cinnamon - 2 ( 1 inch sticks)
Clove - 3
cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
salt - 1 tsp
Vangee Bath Masala - 1 Tbsp
Dry Coconut Powder - 1 Tbsp
Coriander Leaves ( Cilantro) - 1/4 cup
Rice (raw) - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Oil - 1 Tbsp

*yields - 2 servings

Preparatory Steps:

• Chop the Onions, Tomato and Green Chili in length wise. Chop the baby egg plants into 4 pieces. 
• Wash the rice and drain it in colander and let it completely dry. 

Method:

1. Heat the oil in Non-stick Pressure Pan Cooker. Once the oil is hot add Cinnamon, Clove, Cumin seeds and saute for 1 min. 
2. Add chopped Green Chili, Onion to the pan and saute for 1 min. Onions will become translucent, then add ginger garlic paste and mix it with onions. Add Chopped Tomato now. and cook for 1 min.
3. Add chopped Brinjal pieces to the pan, mix it with onion mixture and close the lid ( loosely) and let it cook for 2 to 3 min until egg plant becomes soft, now add the salt, mix it and cook for 2 more minutes.
4. Now add rice to the pan mix it well, with veggies. Add Cilantro to the pan now. 
5. Add Vangee Bath Masala Powder, and Dry Coconut powder and mix it thoroughly with rice and veggies. ( make sure the rice is coated with spices).
6. Add 2 cups of water to the pan. Close the lid to pressure pan and cook it for 2 whistles. ( about 10 -15 min).
7. Once it's cool off open the lid and fluff up the rice with spatula and taste and adjust the salt accordingly.