VEGETABLE BRINJI RICE

     Vegetable Brinji Rice - aromatic, flavour-filled, rich rice dish cooked with ample of spices,  Coconut Milk and ground Coconut paste.  This is a deliciously rich dish, a sibling of the one & only Biriyani.  But what makes this Brinji Rice unique and different from Biriyani is that the Rice is cooked in Coconut Milk/ground Coconut Paste. Usually, Brinji Rice is cooked as such or along with Vegetables.
     The first time I came across with this Brinji Rice was during our House Warming Ceremony. I still remember the aroma and richness of the dish.  Though being a simple Vegetable Rice Dish, it had done complete justice in capturing my taste buds. The cook had added ground Coconut & Spice paste.  They had added a tinge of the same Coconut paste in Onion-Curd Raitha which was served along with this Vegetable Brinji Rice. It tasted awesome and to date, I remember the wonderful taste of that Brinji Rice & Raitha.  Then when I came across with a recipe of Brinji Rice in a Tamil Magazine.  I tried it and I felt it similar to the Vegetable Biriyani, but with a unique flavour and an incredible texture.
     After few corrections, until I thought I got the same taste as the Brinji Rice cooked for our House Warming Ceremony, I finally got stuck to the recipe which fancied my taste buds.  I usually cook this Brinji Rice with Jeeraga Samba/Basmati Rice. I recently got a packet of Chinigura Rice from Indian Stores and was waiting to cook something with that rice.  Then it occurred to me that Vegetable Brinji Rice would be a good choice. So this recipe is cooked with Chinigura Rice and the Rice: Water Ratio I used was 1:11/2 Cups.
     I often cook this Vegetable Brinji Rice in a Rice Cooker. I sauté all the ingredients in a pan, then transfer it into the Rice cooker along with the boiled Water & Coconut Milk. It can also be cooked in a Pressure Cooker.  Allow it to cook for a whistle on a high flame and then lower the flame and cook for another 10–12 minutes. The Rice Water Ratio - 1: 11/2 cups, suits well for both the methods.  But cooking in a Sauce Pan is more flexible.  Fewer ingredients and very less time to cook is the highlight of this one-pot meal.  Prepare some Curd-Onion Raitha or Vegetable Salad or simply pair it up with hard-boiled eggs and there you are with a wonderful & wholesome Rice Dish.


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Cuisine -South Indian
Course - Main
Spice Level  - Low
Difficulty - Easy
Serves - 3- 4
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 10-15 Minutes
Soaking Time - 15 - 20 Minutes.
Cooking Time - 20 - 30 Minutes

HOW TO COOK VEGETABLE BRINJI RICE

VEGETABLE BRINJI RICE

INGREDIENTS:

For Vegetable Brinji Rice:

Chinigura/Jeeraga Samba Rice/Basmati Rice - 2 Cups
Carrot - 1/2 Cup
Beans - 1/4 Cup
Green Peas - 1/4 Cup
Potato - Few Pieces
Onions - 1 No.
Green Chillies - 3-4 No's.
Coriander Leaves - Few
Mint Leaves - Few
Coconut Milk - 1 Cup
Water - 2 Cups
Salt - To Taste
Ghee -  1 Tablespoon

For a detailed Recipe on HOW TO MAKE COCONUT MILK, Click here...

For Coconut Paste:

Coconut - 1/4 Cup
Fennel Seeds - 1 Teaspoon
Green Chillies - 2 No's.
Garlic - 7–8 Cloves
Ginger -1" Piece

Spices:

Ghee - 3 Tablespoons
Cinnamon (1") - 2 Stick
Cloves - 5-6 No's.
Cardamoms - 3 -4 Pods
Bay Leaves - 2 Leaves

PREPARATION:

• Wash the Jeeraga Samba/Basmati rice until the water runs clear.
• Soak the rice for 20 minutes.
• Boil the water and keep it aside.
• Peel and dice Carrots & Potatoes into small Cubes, Cut Beans into 1/2" long pieces & keep it aside. 
• Wash and drain the Green Peas.
• Grind the ingredients mentioned under 'For Coconut Paste' into a fine paste.

METHOD:

• Heat Ghee in a pan, fry the ingredients mentioned under 'Spices' on a very low flame until aromatic.
• Add finely chopped Onions and Green Chillies, slit into two, to the above and sauté until onions turn translucent.
• Add the ground Coconut Paste and sauté until the raw flavour goes, and it turns fragrant.
• Now add in the chopped Vegetables and give a quick stir.
• Drain the soaked Rice and add it to the above.
• Fry this for about 5–7 minutes on a very low flame.
• Pour in the Coconut Milk, boiled Water, Salt and mix well.
• Allow it to boil.
• Add finely chopped Mint & Coriander Leaves.
• Cover the pan and cook the rice on a low flame until the water is totally absorbed, and the rice is well cooked.
• Allow it to cool for a few minutes.
• Add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of Ghee to the cooked Brinji Rice and fluff it up.
• Serve Vegetable Brinji Rice with Curd-Onion Raitha along with any kind of vegetarian or non-vegetarian curries.

VEGETABLE BRINJI RICE

NOTES:

• I have used Chinigura Rice in this recipe. Can use Basmati Rice / Jeeraka Samba(Kaima)* rice for this dish.
• Can substitute half the amount of Ghee with Oil.
• Adding Mint and Coriander Leaves are purely optional.
• Adjust the number of Green Chillies to suit your spice preference.
• I have added both Ground Coconut Paste & Coconut milk to cook this Vegetable Brinji Rice.
• If you do not prefer to add Coconut Paste, avoid Coconut & grind the other ingredients into a fine paste and follow the process.

    *Jeeraga Samba/Kaima/Jeerakasala rice is a short-grain rice, commonly used in some parts of South India & Sri Lanka for making biriyani and ghee rice. This rice makes the Biriyani unique. It is called as Jeeraka Samba Rice in Tamilnadu. You can use Basmati rice/Chinigura Rice instead. If the rice is old enough, then the perfect Rice Water Ratio would be 1:11/2.  But some quality of rice requires 13/4 Cups of Water for 1 Cup of Rice. Adjust accordingly.