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Vegetable Brinji Rice

Enjoy the flavors of Tamil Nadu with the Brinji Rice or Brinji Sadam. A flavorful one-pot vegetable rice prepared with coconut milk and topped with bread croutons.
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Basmati rice
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 green cardamoms
  • 1" piece of cinnamon
  • 2 cloves
  • 1 piece of mace
  • 1 star anise
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
  • 3/4 cup sliced onions
  • 2 green chillies
  • 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
  • 1 large tomato finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped green coriander leaves
  • 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves
  • 1 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
  • 2 cups chopped vegetables (carrots, beans, potatoes, cauliflower, and peas)
  • 1 cup thick coconut milk
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tbsp ghee

For the croutons

  • 4 slices of bread
  • Oil for shallow frying

Instructions

  • To begin, wash the basmati rice well in water and soak it for 30 minutes.
  • To prepare the rice, heat oil in a pan. Add in the whole spices - bay leaf, green cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves, mace, star anise, and fennel seeds. Mix.
  • Next, add the sliced onions with slit green chillies. Saute for a minute.
  • Add the ginger garlic paste and saute until the onions are translucent.
  • Add the tomatoes and saute until they are a bit tender.
  • Next, add the chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves along with the dry masalas - salt, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, and garam masala powder. Saute until the liquid dries up and oil begins to appear on the sides.
  • Add in the vegetables and saute for a few minutes.
  • Add the drained rice and mix well.
  • Next, add the coconut milk with water. Mix well. Cover with a lid and cook until the rice is done. Or pressure cook it for two whistles like I have and allow the pressure to drop.
  • In the meantime, prepare the bread croutons. Dice the bread slices into small squares. Shallow fry until golden. Keep aside.
  • Once the rice is done, add a tbsp of ghee. Mix well.
  • Finally, add in the croutons and mix.
  • The Brinji Rice is ready to serve. Garnish with coriander and mint leaves. Serve hot.

Notes

  • Experiment with seasonal vegetables of your choice
  • You can use 2 cups of thin coconut milk instead too.
  • My kitchen is a nut-free kitchen. Use cashewnuts in garnish for added texture and richness.