Aubergine Pilaff / Eggplant Pilaff

One more recipe from ''The Vegetarian Kitchen By Linda Fraser" -  Aubergine Pilaff . Aubergine / Eggplant is known as Brinjal in South Asia. We use brinjal in everyday cooking. I add it to Sambar, make gravy with brinjal and potatoes and most popular North Indian Chutney called 'baingan bharta'. I also make brinjal and potatoes curry that goes well with idly/ dosa. Brinjal is most versatile vegetable. It absorbs the flavors of the dish its being added.

When someone asks me which vegetable you like the most, my answer would be 'Brinjal'. I grow up eating brinjal every other day. My mom makes the best brinjal curry in tangy tamarind and coconut sauce. Her brinjal thokku for biryani is very famous among my friends.

This entire week, I am all by myself and I am cooking one pot meals mostly.  I searched this cook book , looking for one pot meal that can be made quickly and I found this pilaff. Wow ! I love brinjal in any dish. So I decided to make Aubergine pilaff. But the original recipe calls for 'Broken Wheat'. I do not have broken wheat in my pantry. Hence I replaced wheat with long grain rice and adjusted water accordingly. I added seasoning according my taste.

Recipe adapted from : The Vegetarian Kitchen By Linda Fraser

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Aubergine / Egg plant / Brinjal  Chopped as slightly big Cubes
• 1 Cup Rice Washed and drained
• 1 and 1/2 Cups of Water to cook rice
• 2 Tablespoon Oil ( I used sesame seed oil )
• 1/2 Teaspoon Mustard
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
• 1 Teaspoon Sesame Seeds
• 1 Teaspoon Urad Dal
• 1 Teaspoon Channa Dal
• 2 Tablespoon Roasted ground nuts
• 2 whole Red chilli
• 1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
• a pinch of Hing / Asafoetida
• 1 Teaspoon Jaggery powder (optional)
• Chopped cilantro leaves for garnish while serving
• Salt as required 

Directions :

1. In a pan, heat oil. When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add cumin seeds, urad dal , channa dal and fry until dal is golden. Then add sesame seeds and fry till they are change color to light brown

                                   

                                  
2. Break red chilli into two pieces and add it to the hot oil. Then add roasted ground nuts and fry for a minute. Add chopped brinjal pieces and let them fry in oil for 2 to 3 minutes

                                   

3. Then add Red Chilli Powder, Hing, turmeric powder.  Mix everything together

                                 

                                  
4. Add salt , 1 and 1/2 Cups of water. Bring water to boil. Add Jaggery powder and mix well. Then Add rice to the pan.

                                

                                 

                                   

5. Check salt and seasoning. Close the pan with lid and change the heat settings to the medium flame. Let the rice cook for 15 minutes or until the water evaporates and rice is cooked through

6. Serve hot with chopped cilantro leaves sprinkled on top. I had this rice with Red Onion Raita and Lays salted chips :)