Brinjal Baath

Brinjal Baath is a rice dish and we can have them for breakfast or lunch or dinner. In South India  people do prepare rice dishes in the morning for breakfast and it can be packed for lunch too. So 2 in 1 easy rice dishes are famous here, like bisibele bath, Vanghi bath, Mixed vegetable baath etc etc etc. Brinjal Baath is one of the such recipe that you can  easily depend upon.
All you need is the Masala powder, tender brinjal, coconut and the spices which are already in the kitchen shelf. 
Lets see some benefits of having "Brinjal" in our diet.
Brinjal (egg plant ) is very low in calories and fats  and rich in soluble fiber content. They contain good amount of anti oxidants. Brinjal contain many essential B-complex groups of vitamins. They contain good source of minerals like manganese, copper, iron and potassium. Brinjal helps to loose your extra weight. It controls and lowers the blood pressure. Brinjal is good for diabetics. They also helps to lower the cholesterol in the body.

"Brinjal Baath" is easy to prepare and the whole family can sit together and enjoy the dish. I have not used any onions or garlic in this dish. It is purely optional. 

Ingredients : 

Brinjal : Green and Long : 6 to 8
Basmati Rice : 2 Cups
Bisibele baat powder : 3 to 4 Tea spoons.
Rasam powder : 1 Tea spoon
Cloves : 3 to 4
Cinnamon : An inch
Lemon : 1 or Tamarind Pulp : 1 Table spoon.
Coconut : 1 Cup (fresh and grated).
Salt : Required
Turmeric powder : a pinch
Oil : 2 Table spoons
Ghee : 2 Table spoons
Coriander leaves  : 3 to 4 Table spoons.

Method :

1. Wash and drain the water from rice and keep it aside 
2. Wash and cut brinjal in to small and soak in normal water for 10 minutes. Wash and cut coriander leaves in to small pieces.
3. Grate coconut and keep it aside. Soak tamarind in hot water and squeeze out the pulp and keep it aside.

4. Now keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put oil. Let it become hot. Add cloves and cinnamon. Fry for 2 to 3 seconds. 

5. Squeeze out water from brinjal and put them in the pan. Mix it nicely and fry for 1 minute.

6. Add rice and fry for 2 minutes all together.

7. Add bisibele bath powder and rasam powder. Mix it nicely.
8. Put off the gas and add grated coconut.

9. Shift this fried mixture to the rice cooker. Add 4 cups of water, tamarind pulp and salt. Add turmeric powder.

10. Mix all the ingredients nicely and cover the lid. Let it cook . Once it is done it turns off.
11. Once it is cooked add ghee and mix it well . Cover and keep it for 2 to 3 minutes. (with out the power).

12. Now shift the ready "Brinjal Baath" to a serving dish  add coriander leaves and serve with a cup of curd.

 Note : 

1.You can use Sona Masoori or any other raw rice. Add water according to the rice you choose.( Sona masoori  1 cup rice = 3 cups water). Basmati rice - 1 cup rice = 2 cups of water ).
2. You can use MTR or Maiyya's Bisibele bath powder . ( I use home made powders). Roast channa dal , urid dal each  2 spoons, coriander seeds 1 Tablle spoon, jeera 1/4 tea spoon and  4 to 6 cloves, an inch of cinnamon piece, curry leaves all the one by one and powder it . You get fresh bisibele bath powder).
3.Using more oil or ghee is also optional.
4You can cook this Brinjal Baath in the pressure cooker . Use little less water than usual. or it may turn sticky.
5.You can also use fresh Peas or Awarekalu along with brinjal. Aware kalu should be cooked before adding ( or it may not be cooked well). Use of onions and garlic is also optional.
Time : 40 minutes (preparation + cooking).
Serves : 5 

Mixed Nuts Laddu

Mixed Nuts Laddu is a mixture of grond nuts, sesame seeds, chenna, poppy seeds and jaggery with a very little ghee. All these ingredients are oil content. During winter our body's moisture dries up and we need to consume the requirement of the body through the food habits. During Sankranti we share and eat ellu bella (sesame seeds - jaggery - coconut mixture). I thought of doing the same ingredients and turned as laddu.

Mixed Nuts Laddus are very healthy munching stuff during winter season. During winter out body dries up and these food helps to provide the need.
I have used Seseme seeds, poppy seeds, ground nuts, jaggery etc.
Lets know the benefits of having " Poppy Seeds " in our diet.
Poppy seeds contain anti - oxidants and health promoting properties. They contain mono unsaturated fatty acids that helps to lower the bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol levels in the blood. Poppy seeds outer coat is a good source of dietary fiber that helps to eases the constipation problems. These seeds are rich in B - complex Vitamin sources. Poppy seeds contain good level of minerals like iron, copper, calcium , potassium, manganese, zinc and magnesium.

Things Needed :

Ground Nuts : 2 Cups
Chenna : 1 Cup
Poppy seeds : 50 Grams.
Coconut (dry) :1 cup
Sesame seeds : 1/2 Cup
Jaggery : 1 Cup
Ghee : 1 Table Spoon

Method :

1. Dry roast ground nuts and remove the outer skin and keep it aside.

  
2. Keep a pan on the fire put jaggery and add 1/4 of water. Let it boil nicely and jaggery completely dissolve.
3. Now sieve the jaggery water and remove the dirt from it.

4. Now keep a pan on the fire and dry roast sesame seeds and poppy seeds one by one until the raw smell disappear.
5. Let the roasted ingredients cool. Dry grind dry coconut (Copra - kobbari ) and poppy seeds together.

6. Dry grind chenna nuts and ground nuts ( just 2 to 3 churns will do) one by one and put all the ingredients together in a big bowl.

7. Keep a big pan on the fire and put jaggery content and boil till they bubble up.
8. Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes to get the right consistency. (One string pakam).
9. Add a table spoon of fresh grated coconut.

10. And then add the ground dry coconut, chenna, ground nut, poppy seeds and sesame seeds.
11. Mix it nicely till they get mixed and put off the gas.

12. Add 1 Table spoon of fresh ghee and mix it well .

13.. You can divide the mixture in two to three parts. Cover the mixture to retain the heat.

14. Take a handful of mixture and with the help of your palm and fingers prepare Laddu.

15. Laddus are ready to serve.

Note :

You must roast the ingredients nicely till the raw smell disappear. ( Do not over roast and burn). Do it on low flame slowly).
You can add more ghee if you wish. Adding cashew nuts adds to the taste. ( I did not add).
Adding more jaggery is also an optional. If you are not able to prepare ladu use a spoon of melted ghee on the mixture and then try. It holds it tightly or use fresh warm milk and prepare laddu. (The laddu may get spoil ) It may be kept only one or two days outside.
Time : 30 minutes
40 to 50 Laddus can be prepared.