Brinjal Rice recipe | Kathirikkai Sadam
Learn to make Brinjal Rice or Kathirikkai Sadam - 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.
Servings 4 people
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
Ingredients and Substitutes
Rice - Substitute brown rice with Basmati Rice, short grain white rice - Kolam, sona masuri, ponni etc. You can use leftover rice also.
Brinjal - Either slice brinjal lengthwise or dice into cubes. 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. Rasam powder contains hing or asafoetida. Keep this in mind for a 100% gluten-free recipe.
Sesame Oil - Traditionally South Indian recipes use sesame oil or gingelly oil. Feel free to substitute with any neutral cooking oil.
Brinjal rice is Vegan. For a 100% gluten-free recipe, ensure the spices you use do not contain hing or asafoetida.
This is a No Onion No Garlic Brinjal rice or Kathirikkai sadam recipe. Feel free to add sliced onions after sauteing the mustard and lentils.
Storage - Leftover Brinjal rice can be stored in the refrigerator for 48 hours. It can be re-heated in microwave and consumed. Use fresh rice for extended shelf rice.