Vangi Bhaath

             [ SPICED AUBERGINE RICE ]

This dish is from Maharashtra, where it is served at weddings and feasts. Spiced, flavored rice is considered festive as it takes longer to prepare than plain rice, and is colorful and fragrant. You can make it as spicy as you wish but I prefer a medium heat, served with yogurt, hot mango pickle, and crisp poppadums.

Serves 4 PREPARATION → 10 minutes COOKING 30 minutes

“2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
large pinch of asafoetida
8–10 fresh or 15 dried curry leaves
1 medium aubergine, cut into 2.5cm cubes
10 cashew nuts
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon medium-hot red chili powder
1 tablespoon goda masala
200g basmati rice, washed and drained
2 teaspoons lemon juice
    salt

yogurt, shop-bought hot mango pickle,

and poppadums, to serve (optional)

1 Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan over high heat, add the bay leaves and fry for a minute or so until they begin to darken. Add the tomato purée or grated tomatoes. Cook for 1–2 minutes then tip in the rice. Stir once, to blend it with the tomatoes, then pour in double the amount of water by volume to the rice, stir and bring to a boil.

2 Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for about 10 minutes until the water has been absorbed and the rice is cooked. Remove from the heat, leave the rice to rest for 5 minutes, covered, then remove the lid, fluff the rice with a fork and serve hot.