Vangi bath (Brinjal rice)

Vangi bath recipe with homemade vangi bath powder. Vangi bath is a popular rice dish from Karnataka cuisine. The term vangi translates to brinjals or egg plant and bhath means cooking together. Vangi bath is a flavorful dish made with brinjals, spice powder, spices & herbs. It is very easy to make & barely takes 10 to 15 mins if you have the cooked white rice ready.

Vangi bath is very popular among the vegetarian community and is made without onion & garlic. Generally it is made with green young brinjals however you can use whatever you have in hand.

To make vangi bath, first brinjals are sauteed in tempering spices and then soft cooked. Then seasoned with spice powder called as vangi bath powder. Lastly it is finished off by mixing it with precooked rice.

There are many brands selling ready vangi bath powder. I have only tried using MTR which is well known for spice powders in the market.

However my today’s recipe is along with the homemade vangi bath powder which can be prepared ahead and refrigerated for few months.

There are numerous ways to make vangi bath. This recipe comes from our Hassan based chef, who used to cook for us during our stay in Bangalore. I have tasted other versions too and but love this version as it is flavorful, delicious and hot.

The vangi bath powder tastes almost like the MTR powder. But MTR doesn’t use channa dal, which I use since I feel it gives an extra flavor. I usually make this when I have few brinjals left and they are not enough to make any side dish.

Tips to make vangi bath

1. Usually short grain rice – sona masuri is used to make vangi bath. However you can use any variety of rice you have in hand. When I made this rice I did not have sona masuri so I made with basmati rice.
2. I have used purple brinjals but actually green brinjals are used to make this dish. So choose whatever you have in hand.
3. The key to flavorful dish is the spice powder. So you can either make the powder from my recipe card below or use store bought powder.
4. Vangi bath served in karnataka tiffin centers has peanuts & coconut. In some regions, I have seen green peas are used in place of peanuts. So feel free to use what ever you like. You can skip coconut if you do not have.

You may also like these Rice recipes and Brinjal recipes.

More Karnataka Recipes
Tomato bath
Bise bele bath
Akki roti
Nippattu

karnataka style vangi bath recipe

Vangi bath

Karnataka style vangi bath is a spiced rice dish made with brinjals or eggplants and spice powder. Vangi bath is served without any accompaniment. Plain yogurt, some papads will complement the meal.

Prep Time5 minutes

Cook Time25 minutes

Total Time30 minutes

Servings4

AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )

Ingredients to make vangi bath

• 2 cups raw rice or uncooked rice
• 3 tbsp Oil or as needed
• 1 small onion thinly sliced (optional)
• 1 green chili slit or red chili
• 250 grams brinjals or baingan or eggplant (green or purple)
• ¼ cup peanuts or ½ cup green peas
• Lemon juice or 1 tbsp tamarind paste, as needed
• Salt to taste

for tempering

• 1 sprig curry leaves or 1 bay leaf
• ½ tsp mustard seeds or 3 green cardamoms
• ½ tsp cumin or jeera (optional)
• 1 tbsp chana dal (optional)
• ½ tbsp urad dal (optional)

for vangi bath powder or use MTR powder

• 4 to 5 red chilies
• 2 tbsp Coriander seeds or daniya
• 1 tbsp channa dal or bengal gram
• ½ tbsp urad dal or skinned black gram
• 1 tsp cumin or jeera
• ¼ to ½ tsp methi seeds or fenugreek seeds (optional)
• 4 cloves or laung
• 1 small cinnamon stick or dalchini
• 1 tbsp Dry coconut (optional, adds flavor and taste)

How to make the recipe

Cooking rice

• Add rice to a pot or cooker. Wash it well at least thrice and pour 4 cups water. Cover and pressure cook for 2 whistles. If using basmati rice then just cook for 1 whistle. (refer notes for details)
•  Do not make the rice mushy. Fluff up the rice and cool this completely.
• If using tamarind rinse and soak it in little water until soft. I prefer lemon juice over tamarind so I skip this step.

Making vangi bath powder – Skip if you have powder ready

• Dry roast coriander seeds until crunchy and aromatic. Transfer them to a plate. Next roast chana dal and urad dal until half done. Then add the red chilies and fry until the dal turns golden & aromatic.
• Lastly add methi, cumin, cloves, and cinnamon. Saute till the methi seeds turn aromatic. 
• Cool all these completely. Powder them finely in a mixer or blender. Set aside the vangi bath powder.
  

tempering

• Add ¼ tsp water to a bowl of water. Wash brinjals very well and chop off the crowns. Then chop or slice them vertically. Keep them in salted water until used to prevent discoloring.
• Pour oil to a hot pan. Add in mustard, cumin, chana dal, urad dal & peanuts. Fry them until peanuts turn golden. OR Alternately you can use bay leaf, cardamoms & cumin.
• Fry green chilies and onions (optional) till they turn golden or transparent.

How to make vangi bath

• Add chopped brinjal, green peas if using and sprinkle salt, turmeric. Fry them for 2 to 3 minutes stirring often.
• Cook covered on a low to medium heat until the brinjals are soft & fork tender. If using tamarind add it now. I do not use tamarind.
• Time to add in the vangi bath powder and fry till it begins to smell good. You can sprinkle 1 to 2 tbsp water to make the mixture moist if it is too dry. This is optional.
• Switch off the heat, add the cooled rice and squeeze in some lemon juice. Make sure the rice is cooled completely before adding it to the vangi mixture.
• Mix up everything well. Taste it & then add more salt and lemon juice if needed.
• Serve vangi bath hot or cold with some papads and curd.

NUTRITION

Calories: 511kcal | Carbohydrates: 90g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 50mg | Potassium: 453mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3.1% | Vitamin C: 16.8% | Calcium: 10.5% | Iron: 18.1%

Notes

Recipe notes for vangi bath

1. Usually sona masuri rice is used. However you can use any rice. I have used basmati rice. Just make sure you use water just as needed to cook the rice al dente. Rice should not be mushy.
2. If using Mtr powder, please use as needed. The spice levels in the mtr pack differs from country to country.
3. You can choose any variety of brinjal – purple or green. But tender brinjal will taste better.
4. You can halve the recipe and make 2 servings.

How to make vangi bath powder

Skip this section if using ready made powder.
1. Dry roast coriander seeds until aromatic. Transfer to a plate.

2. Fry the dals until half done.

3. Then add red chilies and roast until the lentils turn golden.

4. Next put in the cloves, cinnamon, methi and cumin. Roast for 2 mins until the methi seeds turn fragrant. Switch off the stove. You can skip methi seeds but they add aroma to the powder.

5. Cool the ingredients and add to a blender jar.

6. Make a fine powder.

This powder can be used for 2 to 2.5 cups raw rice that serves 4 to 5 people. If you are making only 2 servings, you can scale down the ingredients for the powder.

Making rice

1. Wash and cook rice al dente in the usual way.

2. Rice must be grainy and not mushy or sticky. Cool completely.

How to make vangi bath

1. Wash and cut brinjals. Next add them to a bowl of slightly salted water. Set this aside.

2. Next heat oil in a wide heavy bottom pan. Add mustard, cumin, peanuts, chana dal and urad dal. Fry until they turn golden. I went ahead using cumin, bay leaf and cardamoms.

3. Using onions is optional. Add green chili and onions. Then fry till they turn translucent.

4. Transfer brinjals and green peas. Then sprinkle salt. Fry for 2 to 3 mins.

5. Cover and cook till the brinjals are done completely.

6.Add the spice powder.

How to make brinjal rice or vangi bath

7. Mix well. Fry the entire mixture till you get a nice aroma.

8. If you like slightly moist rice, you can sprinkle 2 tbsp water. Then saute for 2 minutes. The mixture turns moist. This step is optional.

9. Next add rice and lemon juice as well. I also prefer a bit of ghee or oil. Mix well. Adjust salt as needed.

Garnish brinjal rice with coriander leaves.
Serve vangi bath with papad and raita.