South Indian Brinjal Rice (Vaangi Bhath)

If you’re a fan of South Indian flavors, you’ll love this aromatic and flavorful brinjal rice, popularly known as Vaangi Bhath (also spelled vangi bath or vangi bhath). This Karnataka-style rice dish is a comforting mix of cooked rice and sautéed brinjal (eggplant), seasoned with a special spice blend that elevates the taste to the next level. Follow along with my step-by-step photos and detailed video tutorial to recreate this delicious dish at home.

South Indian cuisine is famous for its “variety rice” dishes — think lemon rice, tamarind rice, coconut rice, mango rice, and more. Vaangi Bhath holds a special place among them. It’s quick enough for a weekday meal yet delicious and impressive enough for lunchboxes, potlucks, or festive spreads. I have over 30 recipes in my variety rice collection — feel free to explore them if you’re looking for more inspiration!

In this version, I’ve used a store-bought vaangi bhath powder, though you can find the homemade recipe in my South Indian cookbook. The spice mix adds incredible depth and is versatile enough to use in dals, vegetable dishes, or even bisi bele baath.

For added flavor and texture, I love including capsicum and roasted peanuts. I also add a bit of tamarind paste for tanginess, though it’s entirely optional. This dish works well with leftover rice and can be adapted with vegetables like ivy gourd or chow-chow. While I’ve tried this with larger eggplants, I prefer using small, tender baby eggplants or Asian varieties — today, I used the green kind.

Ingredients Overview

To prepare vaangi bhath, you’ll need a mix of pantry staples and fresh vegetables. The core flavors originate from the vaangi bhath powder, tempered spices, and sautéed brinjal, enhanced with optional additions such as tamarind paste and roasted peanuts. The recipe utilizes short-grain rice, such as Sona Masoori, which helps the flavors absorb well and maintains the dish’s authenticity. Below is the full list of ingredients you’ll need to bring this dish together:

How to make vaangi bhath

• Heat a heavy-bottomed pan or kadai and add one tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add one teaspoon of mustard seeds. When they begin to splutter, add one teaspoon of urad dal, ¼ teaspoon of asafoetida, and a few curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds until aromatic.
• Add 1 cup of chopped onions and ½ cup of chopped bell peppers. Cook on medium heat until the onions turn soft and translucent.

• Now add the chopped green brinjal (about 250 grams), followed by ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder and 1½ teaspoons of salt. Stir in 1 tablespoon of vaangi bhath powder and mix everything well.

• Add one teaspoon of tamarind paste mixed with two tablespoons of water. Give it a good mix. Cover and cook the mixture until the brinjal turns soft, but be careful not to overcook—it should remain intact and not become mushy. Avoid adding extra water during this step.

• Once the brinjals are cooked, remove the lid and continue cooking until any excess moisture evaporates.

• Add 1 cup of cooked rice (preferably short-grain, such as Sona Masoori), ensuring it’s non-sticky and grainy. You can cook the rice using a pressure cooker, rice cooker, or on the stovetop—use 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice.
• Stir in 2 teaspoons of ghee (optional) for added richness. Mix gently until the rice is well coated with the spice mixture.

• Finally, add ¼ cup of roasted peanuts and two tablespoons of chopped cilantro. Serve hot, accompanied by a side of raita or plain yogurt.

Recipe tips & variations

• You can replace brinjal with vegetables like ivy gourd (tindora) or chow-chow.
• Use basmati rice if preferred; however, short-grain rice provides a more traditional texture.
• The tamarind paste is optional; the dish tastes great even without it.
• Adjust the salt and spice levels, or add a pinch of jaggery to balance the flavors.
• To keep the peanuts crunchy, always add them at the end—or roast them separately and mix them in just before serving.
• If you like, you can swap urad dal and chana dal with cumin seeds during tempering for a different flavor profile.

More eggplant recipe

PS:  If you try this vaangi bhath, please don’t forget to comment and rate this recipe. If you have any questions, please leave a comment, and I will get to it A.S.A.P.  Make sure to follow me on my Pinterest for more healthy and delicious ideas! Follow me on Instagram or join my Facebook Group for more gardening and recipe updates! You can also sign-up for my newsletter for weekly updates.

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5 from 1 vote

South Indian Brinjal Rice (Vaangi Bhath)

Savor the deliciousness of Vaangi Bhath, a flavorful mix of rice and brinjal, ideal for weeknight dinners or parties.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Course: Main Course, Variety Rice

Cuisine: Karnataka Cuisine,, South Indian

Servings: 6

Calories: 141kcal

Author: Srividhya G

Ingredients

Measurement Details: 1 cup=240ml; 1 tbsp= 15ml; 1 tsp= 5ml;

• ▢ 1 tbsp oil
• ▢ 1 tsp mustard seeds
• ▢ 1 tsp urad dal
• ▢ ¼ tsp asafoetida
• ▢ 5 curry leaves
• ▢ 1 cup onion chopped
• ▢ ½ cup bell pepper chopped
• ▢ 250 grams green brinjal chopped into chunks
• ▢ ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ▢ 1.5 tsp salt
• ▢ 1 tbsp vaangi bhath powder
• ▢ 1 tsp tamarind paste mixed with 2 tbsp of water
• ▢ 1 cup rice short-grain, such as Sona Masoori
• ▢ 2 cups water
• ▢ 2 tsp ghee optional
• ▢ ¼ cup roasted peanuts
• ▢ 2 tbsp cilantro

Instructions

• Heat a heavy-bottomed pan or kadai and add one tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add one teaspoon of mustard seeds. When they begin to splutter, add one teaspoon of urad dal, ¼ teaspoon of asafoetida, and a few curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds until aromatic. Add 1 cup of chopped onions and ½ cup of chopped bell peppers. Cook on medium heat until the onions turn soft and translucent.
  
• Now add the chopped green brinjal (about 250 grams), followed by ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder and 1½ teaspoons of salt. Stir in 1 tablespoon of vaangi bhath powder and mix everything well.
  
• Add one teaspoon of tamarind paste mixed with two tablespoons of water. Give it a good mix. Cover and cook the mixture until the brinjal turns soft, but be careful not to overcook—it should remain intact and not become mushy. Avoid adding extra water during this step.
  
• Once the brinjals are cooked, remove the lid and continue cooking until any excess moisture evaporates.
  
• Add 1 cup of cooked rice (preferably short-grain, such as Sona Masoori), ensuring it's non-sticky and grainy. You can cook the rice using a pressure cooker, rice cooker, or on the stovetop—use 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of rice. Stir in 2 teaspoons of ghee (optional) for added richness. Mix gently until the rice is well coated with the spice mixture.
  
• Finally, add ¼ cup of roasted peanuts and two tablespoons of chopped cilantro. Serve hot, accompanied by a side of raita or plain yogurt.
  

Video

Notes

• You can replace brinjal with vegetables like ivy gourd (tindora) or chow-chow.
• Use basmati rice if preferred; however, short-grain rice provides a more traditional texture.
• The tamarind paste is optional; the dish tastes great even without it.
• Adjust the salt and spice levels, or add a pinch of jaggery to balance the flavors.
• To keep the peanuts crunchy, always add them at the end—or roast them separately and mix them in just before serving.
• If you like, you can swap urad dal and chana dal with cumin seeds during tempering for a different flavor profile.

Nutrition

Calories: 141kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 616mg | Potassium: 234mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 440IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg

I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.

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Update Notes: Earlier posted on 2016. Updated now with new pictures and video.