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Vegetable Brinji Rice - Brinji Rice Recipe

Vegetable brinji rice is a popular rice variety in Tamil Nadu which are mostly served in marriages and also in restaurant meals. I like this brinji rice with a kurma and onion raita. 


This rice is prepared with spices, onions, ginger garlic paste, vegetables and cooked in coconut milk. The coconut milk enhances the rice as it produces a nice flavour when the rice cools down because the coconut milk sets well during the short period of time. Brinji rice is relatively similar to vegetable biryani with a few variations. Usually for brinji rice, we won't add red chilly powder, coriander powder and garamasala powder, but in this recipe I have added red chilly powder and garamasala powder in minimal quantity. In my hometown there are many homemade food delivering options are available and oneday we ordered to bring brinji rice for lunch. The rice was so tasty and we all enjoyed it. Then I learnt this vegetable brinji from that cook. He told me they will add both red chilly powder and garamasala powder for flavours and colour. He also told me they always cook brinji rice with jeeraga samba rice, but today I don't have in my kitchen so I have used basmati rice. Vegetables like carrot, beans, green peas and potatoes are added and finally fried bread cubes are mixed with the rice. In addition, you can also add fried cashew nuts. 


Similar Rice Dishes

Here is a short video for Vegetable Brinji



Vegetable Brinji Rice with step by step photos

Prep time : 20 minutes
Cook time : 30 minutes
Serves : 4
Category : rice varieties
Author : Muthulakshmi Madhavakrishnan

Ingredients

  • 1 cup basamati rice
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 onion
  • 2 green chilly
  • 2 tomato
  • 1 small carrot
  • 4 beans
  • 1/4 cup fresh green peas
  • 1 small potato
  • 3 tsp ginger garlic paste
  • 3/4 tsp red chilly powder
  • 3/4 tsp garamasala powder
  • few coriander leaves
  • few mint leaves
  • 10 broken cashew nuts
  • 5 bread slices
  • 4 tbsp ghee
  • salt to taste
  • oil 

Cooking Directions

Take the basmati rice in a bowl and rinse it in cold water for 3 times. Soak the rice with 1 cup of water for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes drain the water completely. Extract coconut milk with 1 cup coconut milk. Cut all the vegetables.


Heat 3 tbsp ghee  in a wide pan. Add the following spices one by one - bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and fennel seeds. Saute it till they crackle.


Then add the onions and slit green chillies. Saute in low flame till they turn golden brown.

When the onions turn golden brown add the vegetables one by one and saute it for 2 minutes. 

Now add the ginger garlic paste and saute for a few minutes.

After 2 minutes add the tomato and saute it for a few minutes. 

Now add red chilly powder and garamasala powder and combine it well with the vegetables. 

Add the mint leaves and coriander leaves. Saute it for a minute.

Now  slowly transfer the sauted ingredients to the pressure cooker.


 Add 1 cup coconut milk and 1 cup water. Add the rice, required salt and mix well. Add some mint leaves and close the cooker.




Keep the cooker on medium heat for 5 minutes and reduce the heat to low and cook the rice for 10 minutes. After 15 minutes switch off the flame and keep it undisturbed for another 15 minutes.


In the meantime, fry the cashew nuts in ghee and fry the bread cubes in oil and keep it ready for mixing. Then open the cooker and add the remaining ghee, roasted cashew nuts and fried bread cubes and  gently mix the rice. Tasty and easy birnji rice  is ready. Serve it with onion raitha and kurma. 



Tasty and easy birnji rice  is ready. Serve it with onion raitha and kurma. 



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