Vangibhat with daliya (cracked wheat/bulgar with eggplant)

Vangibhat or eggplant rice is a very popular dish from South Indian state of Karnataka. Now, it is prepared in Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu also. Usually it is rice cooked along with eggplant and special masala. Vangibhat masala is available in stores. But freshly made masala flavor is different. There are many recipes to make the masala. In this recipe, I used minimum ingredients, so that, eggplant flavor dominates!

As diabetics try to eat less rice and try other alternatives to rice, I thought of making vangibhat with daliya. The same can be tried with quinoa also.

Daliya is cracked wheat, available in many Indian stores. Bulgar, which is easily available in USA, is also an equivalent. Daliya/bulgar can be cooked in a pressure cooker or on open heat.

Very tender eggplant tastes good for vangibhat.

Ingredients:

•      1 cup daliya (wheat ravva)
•      6 to 8 vankayalu (baigan/eggplant)
•      1 red chile
•      1/2 tsp. turmeric
•      2 Tbsp. chana dal
•      3 Tbsp. urad dal
•      2 Tbsp. coriander seeds
•      Pinch of hing
•      3 Tbsp. dry grated coconut
•      Salt to taste
•      4 tsp. oil
•      Few curry leaves

Directions:

1.      Roast red chile and chana dal without oil, in a pan.
2.      Add urad dal and coriander seeds
3.      Roast for a few minutes.
4.      When dals are getting brown in color, stop the heat.
5.      Add hing and grated coconut.
6.      Mix well and let the mixture cool.
7.      Clean eggplant and cut them into thin slices.
8.      Cook daliya in a pressure cooker or on open heat.
9.      Fluff it and let it cool.
10.      Grind the dal mixture in a grinder to make a coarse powder.
11.      Place eggplant pieces in a microwave safe bowl, add a spoon of oil and turmeric.
12.      Mix well and microwave for 2 to 3 minutes on high.
13.     Heat oil in a deep pan and add curry leaves and eggplant.
14.     Add dal mixture and mix well.
15.     Add salt and mix well.
16.     Add cooked daliya and stir well.
17.     Reduce heat and let it cook for 8 to 10 minutes, so that daliya gets all the flavors of masala and eggplant.
18.     Add ghee and close the lid.
19.     Turn off heat.
20.     Can be served with carrot raita.

 

Quinoa flavored with cranberry

In USA, arrival of fresh cranberries in market is associated with Thanksgiving. This is because cranberry sauce/juice are an indispensable part of Thanksgiving menu.

Cranberries are acidic to taste and taste very much like vakkay in Telugu or karaunda in hindi.


Fresh cranberries can be frozen at home and will keep upto 9 months.

In some metropolitan cities in India, cranberries are available.

Cranberries can be called wonder fruit as they have many nutritional benefits. They help in preventing urinary tract infections. They are well known for anti-inflammatory benefits, cardiovascular benefits, anti-cancer benefits and antioxidant protection etc.

Cranberries are usually processed into products such as juice, jam, sauce etc or sweetened dried.  We can make some popular Indian dishes like chutneys or pickles etc. I tried making cranberry flavored quinoa (like tamarind rice). The final product has a very attractive color and unique taste.

 

 

 

Fresh cranberries:







Cranberries cut in half:                                       Quinoa added to seasoning:








Ingredients:

•      1 cup quinoa
•      1/2 cup cranberries (cut in half)
•      2 or 3 red chiles
•      1 tbsp. chana dal
•      1 tbsp. urad dal
•      1 tsp mustard seeds
•      A pinch of hing (asafetida)
•      2 or 3 green chiles
•      1/2 tsp finely chopped ginger
•      A few curry  leaves
•      3 tbsp. oil

Directions:

1.      Cook quinoa in a pressure cooker/micro wave.
2.      Fluff it and let it cool.
3.      Heat oil in a deep pan.
4.      Add red chiles. After a few minutes add the dals and mustard seeds.
5.      When mustard seeds splutter, add green chiles, ginger and curry leaves.
6.      Add cranberries, stir well.
7.      Cook for 2 to 3 minutes and keep stirring.
8.      Add fluffed quinoa and salt.
9.      Mix it thoroughly and cook on low heat for 5 minutes.
10.      Leave the quinoa covered for 10 minutes.
11.      Transfer to a serving bowl.