Vangi bhath

Serving for -2 

Ingredients

Cooked Rice / Leftover rice - 2 cups

Eggplant / baingan (medium sized) - 2 (cut into slices or cubes)

Onion - 1 (finely chopped)

Tomato - 1 (cut into cubes)

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Oil - 3 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Pinch of asafoetida

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Red chili powder - 1 tsp

Tamarind pulp - 2 tbsp / 1/2 tsp tamarind paste concentrate

Grated Jaggery - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Cilantro for garnishing

Spices to dry roast and grind

Coriander seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Dry grated Coconut - 1 tsp

Sesame seeds - 1/2 tsp

Cloves - 3-4

Black peppercorns- 7-8

Cinnamon stick - 1 inch

Green cardamom - 3-4

Dry roast above spices till nice aroma starts to come out and grind them to make fine powder. Keep it aside.

Procedure

• Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, pinch of asafoetida and curry leaves. Let them crackle. Add chopped onion and saute till onion becomes translucent. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for few seconds. Add tomato cubes and saute till they get mashed up with onion. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, and ground spices powder. Saute till oil starts to separate from spices.
• Add eggplant slices / cubes and little salt (as cooked rice also contains salt). Mix well and cover the pan. Let it cook for 4-5 minutes. Add tamarind pulp (i used tamarind paste concentrate dissolved into 2 tbsp of water) and grated jaggery. Let the eggplant cook in tangy sauce. Once the  eggplant is cooked and all moisture evaporated, add cooked rice. Mix well and reduce the heat. Let it simmer for 6-8 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with raita.