By Vangi Bhaat is a popular Maharashtrian style onepot rice dish made with aubergine/baingan and freshly homemade goda masala (blend of Indian spices). Vangi Bhaat is spicy, aromatic and very flavourful. This eggplant fried rice along with some raita make a quick, easy and perfect weeknight meal.
Last week the grocery shopping was done by the Mr as I did not get much time. So every time he went shopping even for the basic milk or bread he always ended up buying eggplant. God knows why!! I did not know that because like a good boy he keeps everything in the right place i.e. fridge after coming back home.
Weekend I had a break from the cooking /kitchen so I was not aware about what veggies we had in our fridge. Yesterday when I looked up one veggie drawer in the fridge was filled with large eggplants/aubergine. Five massive eggplants. whattt!!
I know right.. what to do with so many eggplants. Obviously this vangi bhaat!! i just used up 1 large eggplant/baingan which weighed approx 450gms for this vangi bhaat. Now I have to think what to make with the rest. haha..
What is Vangi Bhaat?
Vangi means eggplant/brinjal/aubergine in Marathi and bhaat means rice. Brinjal/eggplant fried rice is superbly easy to make and is so delicious and aromatic. It is made with a special blend of spices Maharashtrian Goda masala. Goda masala is a blend of warm Indian spices like coriander seeds, desiccated coconut, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves peppers, red chillies, bay leaves, sesame seeds and hing that is roasted and ground together.
How to make Maharashtrian Vangi Bhaat?
The list of ingredients may look intimidating and endless but trust me it is extremely easy to make. We start buy washing and soaking the rice for 15 minutes and draining. Meanwhile roast the masalas for homemade goda masala and grinding it into powder.
Then heat oil and temper with cumin, mustard seeds, dried red chilli, bay leaf, curry leaves and hing. Then add onions and fry till translucent. Toss in the eggplants and fry for 4 to 5 minutes until soft.
Now add the prepared ground goda masala and mix everything well. Then add yoghurt, turmeric, salt and jaggery and xin well. Now add water and cover and cook on low for 15 to 20 minutes until the rice is cooked through.
Garnish with coriander, grated coconut and cashewnuts and serve with raita.
Tadaaa!!
Here are more Maharashtrian recipes that you can try
Howe to make Vangi Bhaat Maharashtrian style
Vangi Bhaat Maharashtrian Style | Howe to make Vangi Bhaat Maharashtrian style | Vangi Bhaat Marathi recipe
Equipment
- large thick bottomed pan/ large Kadhai
Ingredients
- 1 large Eggplant/Aubergine/Baingan chopped (around 400 gms)
- 2 cups basmati rice (around 250 gms) washed and soaked for 15 minutes
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 4 tbsp Yogurt
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
- 7-8 Curry leaves (curry patta)
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1 dried red chilli
- Pinch of hing
- 1 tsp Jaggery/sweetener (optional)
- Salt as per taste
- 2-3 oil/ghee
- 4 cups Water
- Fresh coriander seeds chopped to garnish
- Handful cashew nuts
- Grated coconut To garnish
Vangi bhaat goda masala spices
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds
- 2-3 Dried red Chilli
- 1/2 tsp Sesame seeds
- 1/2 tsp Caraway seeds
- 1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
- 2-3 cloves
- 2 Cardamoms
- 4-5 black peppercorns
- 1 inch Cinnamon
- 2 tsp Desiccated coconut
- 2 Bay Leaves
- Pinch of hing
Instructions
Vangi bhaat goda masala powder
- Dry roast all the ingredients under goda masala on low to medium heat until you get a nice aroma of all the spices.
- Take it off the heat and let it cool for few minutes. Then grind it into a fine powder and keep it aside.
How to make vangi bhaat
- Heat oil in a large thick bottomed pan on medium heat. When hot temper the oil with dried red chilli, bay leaf, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves and a pinch of hing.
- When the seeds sizzles and splatters add in the sliced onions and fry until translucent.
- Now toss in the eggplants/baingan along with some salt and fry for 4-5 minutes covered until the aubergine is soft.
- Add in the goda masala powder and turmeric powder and mix everything well so that it coats each and every eggplant piece.
- Add the yogurt to the eggplant and mix well.
- Now add the rice to the eggplant and stir well.
- Check the seasoning ad salt and jaggery at this point.
- Now add 4 cups of water to it, mix well cover add cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes or until the rice and eggplant is cooked through.
- Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, cashew nuts and grated coconut. And serve with raita.
I hope you enjoy this Maharashtrian Style Vangi Bhaat as much as we do.
You know what guys I would love to see your wonderful creations. If you have tried this recipe, simply click a picture and tag me @gastronomicbong or #gastronomicbong on Instagram or on Facebook.
Bon Appetit!!!
priya
July 23, 2019Love this post arpita.. Also, Thank you for the goda masala recipe too.
Arpita@Gastronomic Bong
July 27, 2019Thank you so much Priya.. Glad you liked it ..
Kankana Saxena
July 25, 2019I didn’t know vangi bhaat is Maharashtrian. I always thought it to be South Indian. That looks delicious and you styled it so beautifully!
Arpita@Gastronomic Bong
July 27, 2019Vangi bhaat is a speciality in Maharashtra as well as Karnataka.. But both have their different ways and different masalas to prepare it. You can give this Maharastrian version a try too..
Oycy
August 24, 2022Just came across this recipe, can’t wait to try it out. Have had Vangi Bhaat before and was looking out for the right one and I think this it it.