Vangi bath - from scratch

There’s a youtube channel from Mallamma ajji - cooking granny or something(link given below), from which I have cooked couple of recipes, which turned out very good. Very authentic. I like mallamma ajji’s granny vibes and how she explains every recipe in a simple manner. 

Coming to the recipe, Vangi bath or Brinjal rice, is a famous Karnataka dish/rice bath. You can make a big batch of Vangi bath powder just like Sambar/Rasam powders and use it whenever needed. Original recipe has proportions for a big batch, but here I have also given proportions for one time serving in brackets along with the original. Also, original recipe uses onion - garlic, which I generally don’t use for vangi bath and they can be easily skipped. 

Do try! 

Ingredients

Brinjals(Badne kayi) - preferably green long ones 

Potato(Aloogadde) - 1 medium 

Tamarind paste(hunse rasa) - 1-2 tsp

Jaggery(bella) - little

For vangi bath powder

Chana dal(Kadle beLe) - 1 and 1/2 cups (1and 1/2 tsp)

Urad dal - 1 cup(1 tsp)

Coriander seeds(Dhaniya) -  1 and 1/2 cups(1 and 1/2 tsp)

Cumin seeds/ Jeera - 1/2 cup (1/2 tsp)

Regular red chili - 20 - skipped this

Byaadagi red chili - 15 (5-6 - medium spicy)

Cinnamon/ Chakke - 3 to 4 1 inch pieces (2 - 1 inch pieces)

Kopak seeds/ Moggu - 12(*see notes) (1)

Cloves/ Lavanga - 12 (6)

Curry leaves/ Karibevu - 1/2 cup

Desiccated coconut/ Kobri

Hing

Turmeric

Mustard

Peanuts

Oil(preferably peanut)

Method

For the powder 

In a pan fry chana dal and urad dal separately in medium flame till they change color. Grind this to a coarse powder and keep it aside. Fry coriander seeds along with dry curry leaves till they are roasted. Fry cumin seeds till they are roasted. Add a tsp of ghee and roast chakke, moggu, lavanga. Roast red chili and byaadagi in little oil. Grind this to a fine powder. Mix this with the coarse powder(see notes). Save this in an airtight container. 

For the rice bath

Cut brinjal and potato into long pieces and put them in water to avoid discoloration. In a deep pan add oil + mustard seeds, after it splutters add onion(skipped) + curry leaves. Once it is translucent add cut brinjal and potatoes, add some salt. Mix, cover and cook in medium flame till they are almost done. 

Add finely chopped garlic(skipped).  Add tamarind paste, little water and cook till vegetables are completely cooked. Add turmeric(1/2 tsp) + vangi bath powder - around 2 to 3 tsp for 2 cups rice(adjust according to taste). Sauté in medium flame, until oil separates. 

Add desiccated coconut(see notes). Mix well. Let it boil for a minute or so. Add cooked rice(not too hot) and mix well. Adjust salt if needed. 

Enjoy with some raita or just like that.   

Recipe Source - “https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPH2Tq8N47k”

Notes - 

• Quantities in the bracket are enough for 2 cups sona masoori rice.
• I only added byaadagi red chilies
• I roasted everything together in low flame(byaadagi + chana dal + urad dal after it browns dhaniya, jeera, chakke, moggu, lavanga + curry leaves) and ground to a semi coarse powder
• I add desiccated coconut and curry leaves while making the powder itself and dry grind everything.
• Marathi moggu is not easily available in Indian stores. It is available in Amazon though(what isn't?!). You can skip it, but adding it gives a distinctive taste.