Vankaya Biryani / Brinjal Biryani

During lockdown,  I made Vankaya Biryani ( Brinjal Biryani ) just for using my tender purple brinjals in a different form for lunch. Whenever I get baby brinjals from the store, either I make brinjal gravy or curry. Big brinjals would be mostly consumed for making Baigan bhartha, Brinjal Thogayal, baba ghanoush, kathirikai Gothsu. Our foodie family totally love this biryani. Flavor of this biryani is so unique due to the addition of baby brinjals. Try this only with fresh baby brinjals as the taste is totally determined by the freshness of the brinjals. We can enjoy this hot biryani with a side of mixed veg raita. This brinjal biryani is an excellent alternative to our regular vegetable biryani. Next time, if you have abundant baby brinjals, Vankaya biryani should hit in your mind.!!!

Ingredients

Baby Brinjals ( Purple ) --  12 to 15

Red Onion - 2 Medium or 1 big one

Green Chili - 5

Tomato - 1 Medium

Basmati Rice - 2 Cups

Salt - As Desired

Ghee - 1 tbsp.

Cooking Oil - 1 tbsp.

Ginger garlic Paste - 1/2 tbsp.

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Chili Powder - 1 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1/2 tbsp.

Biryani Masala Powder - 1 tbsp.

Water - 3.75 cups of water.

Lemon Juice - 1 tsp

Roasted Cashew nuts - To Garnish

Coriander Leaves - To Garnish

Masala Ingredients - For First Tadka 

Cinnamon Stick - 2 or 3

Marathi Moggu - 1

Lavang - 3 or 4

Sombhu / Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp

Jeera / Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Kali jeera - 1 tsp

Cardamom - 2

Bay Leaves - 2 or 3

Procedure 

Wash the brinjals and slit them into four keeping the stem intact and keep it ready.  Cut tomato, onions, green chilies and keep it aside.

Cook the Basmati Rice Separately

Soak the basmati rice and keep it ready. Cook the basmati rice separately in a vessel or pressure cooker along with a cinnamon stick, 2 lavang, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp of ghee. Add 3.5 cups of water for 2 cups of basmati rice. Basmati rice should be cooked three fourth and not mushy.  

While the rice is getting cooked, finish the remaining process as below.

Brinjal Cooking Process

• Take a wide deep vessel to prepare the biryani. Add 1 tbsp. of ghee and 1/2 tbsp. of oil first. 
• Add all the masala ingredients and fry them little on medium heat. Then add the red onion slices into the vessel. Fry them till it turns light golden brown and not burnt. Add the ginger garlic taste then and fry them till the raw smell goes away.
• Add the tomato, green chili into the vessel now and let it cook till they get mushy.
• Add the slit brinjals into the vessel now along with the remaining oil.  Fry the brinjals on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add all the powders required for making the biryani. Add salt just enough for the brinjals sitting in the vessel. Don't add all the salt.
• Mix them thoroughly with the brinjals. Cover the lid and allow them to get cooked on medium heat till the brinjals get cooked completely.
• When its done, layer the vessel with the cooked basmati rice and the cooked brinjal masala. 
• Press them and cover the lid. On a low flame, let the biryani cook for 5 to 6 minutes.
• After its done, switch off the flame. Add a tsp of lemon juice and mix it. 
• Garnish the biryani with coriander leaves and roasted cashew nuts.
• Enjoy with a side of mixed veg raita. 

Tips

• Good quality basmati rice to get a rich flavor.
• Small baby brinjals should be fresh.
• Brinjals should be well coated with all the masala powders and get cooked.
• Keeping the layered biryani on low flame will give a well cooked biryani with tiny light crispy brinjals.
• You can add some fried onions on its top just before serving.