South Indian Brinjal Rice recipe or Kathirikkai Sadam is an easy vegetarian one-pot rice dish made with brinjal or kathirikkai, cooked brown rice and spices. Perfect for lunch box, weeknight dinners. It is ready under 30-40 mins and served with raita, papad and pickles.
Brinjal rice is popular as Vangi Bath (Karnataka, Maharashtra). Each region cooks it with different spices. You can make Brinjal rice with freshly cooked rice or leftover rice.
South Indian cuisine is famous for one pot rice dishes. It is quick, easy to put-together, uses basic ingredients from pantry / refrigerator and is quite filling.
With one-pot rice recipes, you don't need a fancy side. Serve brinjal rice with raita or plain yogurt.
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This recipe is for all brinjal lovers. This is also a clever way to include brown rice in your daily meals.
I love including brown rice in such one-pot rice dishes which mask the taste and flavor of brown rice. My husband is a bit fussy when it comes to brown rice and such recipes are a life-saver.
Ingredients
Rice - Use any variety stocked in your pantry. Basmati Rice, short grain rice variety works for this recipe. You can use leftover rice also.
If you struggle to cook brown rice perfectly, refer to the step by step pics below on how to cook brown rice in pressure cooker.
I also have a separate post on how to cook brown rice in Instant Pot.
Brinjal - Refer to the step-wise pics below. I have used the thorny brinjal variety. You can either slice or dice into chunks.
Tip - Soak chopped brinjal in water until ready to cook.
Spices - Turmeric, rasam powder (substitute with sambar powder or store bought vangi bath powder), Kashmiri red chili.
I have used Home Made Rasam Powder or Rasam Podi for spicing up the rice. It cuts down the need to roast and grind spices, lentils. Super convenient for busy days.
Sesame Oil - Traditionally South Indian recipes use sesame oil or gingelly oil. Feel free to substitute with any neutral cooking oil.
How to make Brinjal rice or Kathirikkai sadam
Step 1 - Cooking Brown Rice in Pressure cooker
Rinse and soak the rice for 15-20 mins. This is key for non-sticky texture. Drain the water used for soaking the rice. This step helps get rid of excess starch.
Brown Rice to Water Ratio - For 1 cup (250 ml) Brown Rice, use 2 cups of water for pressure cooking. 4 whistles in a 10 litre pressure cooker.
Rinse the brinjal, slice lengthwise. Soak it in water until ready to cook.
Heat a heavy bottom pan, add oil, mustard seeds, chana dal, whole red chilies.
Once the mustard crackles, add the sliced brinjal pieces. (drain the water completely)
Add Turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt to taste. Mix well and let it cook for sometime.
Let the brinjal cook until soft. Next, add rice, salt and rasam powder. Mix well until the rice coats brinjal and spices. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 mins.
Garnish with coriander and serve.
Serving Suggestion | Side Dish
Raita / Thayir Pachadi - Thakkali Pachadi (Tomato Raita), Beetroot Pachadi, Vendakkai Pachadi (Okra raita) and Onion Raita are some of our favorites.
Serve with mango pickle and papad on the side.
More South Indian rice recipes
Coconut Rice (Thengai sadam)
Raw Mango Rice (Manga sadam)
Nellikai Sadam (Amla Rice)
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Brinjal Rice recipe | Kathirikkai Sadam
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 cup Brown Rice (Short Grain Sona Masoori Rice) 1 cup is 250 ml measurement. See notes below
- 2 cups Water Extra as required for washing the rice and soaking not included
- 500 gms Brinjal, Baingan or Aubergine Check notes below
- 3 tablespoon Sesame Oil You can use veg oil alternatively
- 1 ½ teaspoon Chana Dal or Bengal Gram Dal
- ¼ teaspoon Mustard Seeds or Rai
- 3-4 Whole Red chillies (broken into small pieces)
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder Check Notes Below
- 1 ½ tablespoon Rasam Powder Check Notes Below
- Finely chopped coriander leaves as required
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Rinse and soak the brown rice for 15-20 mins. Drain the water used for soaking the rice. Pressure cook 1 cup of rice with 2 cups of water for 3-4 whistles. Once rice is cool, fluff the rice using a fork.
- Rinse the brinjal, cut the top / crown, slice lengthwise. Soak it in water until ready to cook.
- Heat a heavy bottom pan, add oil, mustard seeds, chana dal, whole red chilies.
- Once the mustard crackles, add the sliced brinjal pieces. (drain the water completely)
- Add Turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt to taste. Mix well and let it cook for sometime.
- Cook brinjal until soft. Next, add cooked brown rice, salt and rasam powder. Mix well until the rice coats brinjal and spices. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 mins.
- Garnish with coriander and serve.
Notes
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We will be back again with yet another exciting recipe .. Until then, stay healthy and happy!
Vidya Narayan