Vaangi Bath -- Baingan Rice -- Rice with Baingan

There is one poem in my mother tongue.  The meaning of the poem is like: Do not find A Vegetable like Eggplant...A lady like Seetha whose face is in lotus shape... A deity like Lord Shiva...and Do not find a king like Rama (Ravana, who is a king of Lanka, is the only enemy to Rama). So, brinjal is the king of all vegetables. It tastes very well with other vegetables and also with rice. 

vankaya vanti kurayu...

pankajamukhi seetha vanti bhamamaniyum...

shankaruni vanti daivamu....

lankadhipu vairi vanti raajun kalade'

వంకాయ వంటి కూరయు

పంకజముఖి సీతవంటి భామా మణియున్

శంకరుని వంటి దైవము

లంకాధిపు వైరి వంటి రాజును గలడే

There is one more interesting song about brinjal:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WeeVuiGaLk

Coming to the dish, it is a rice variety with brinjal and it has no onion and garlic. Making it is very easy, the only process is making the powder. We can make the powder well in advance also.
Preparation Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 25 mins
Recipe Category: Rice 
Recipe Cuisine: Karnataka
Serves: 5 people

Ingredients:

• Rice - 2 Cups
• Baingan/Brinjal/Eggplant/Vankaya - 500 grms 
• Green Chillies - 3 to 5
• Oil -3 tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

For Tadka/Tempering:

• Ground Nuts - 1 tbsp (optional)
• Chana Dal/Bengal Gram - 1 tbsp
• Urad Dal/Black Gram - 1 tbsp
• Rai/Mustard Seeds - 1 tbsp
• Jeera/ Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tbsp
• Red Chillies - 2 
• Curry Leaves - a fist full
• Hing/Asafoetida - 1 tsp

For Vaangibath masala:

• Dhaniya/Coriander Seeds - 1 tbsp
• Chana Dal/Bengal Gram - 1 tbsp
• Urad Dal/Black Gram - 1 tbsp
• Cinnamon - 2 to 4 inches sticks
• Cloves - 3 to 5
• Black Pepper Seeds - 5 to 7
• Red Chillies - 3 to 5
• Oil - 2 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Cut brinjal into cubes. 
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan, Add all the ingredients under 'For Vaangibath masala'. 
3. Fry them in a low flame till the dals turn into light brown colour. Be careful do not burn. Allow it cool and grind it into a coarse powder. 
4. Add two cups of water and one cup of rice in a pressure cooker for three whistles.
5. Once the cooker cools down spread the rice in a wide plate to cool.
6. Again heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add the ingredients under 'For Tadka/Tempering'. Fry them and add them to the rice.
7. Again heat 1 tbsp oil and add the cut brinjal and slit green chillies to it. Add salt and turmeric powder. Cover them and cook.
8. Once brinjal cooked add them to the rice. 
9. Add the above made powder, i.e. vaangibath masala to the rice.
10. Mix it well with the spatula. Hot and spicy vaangi bath ready. Serve it with tomato soup or it can consumed as it is.