This brinji rice or colloquially called as veg brinji is a famous dish in Tamil Nadu, and you can see in the wedding reception menu or on the Jaanavasam day menu along with kurma and cauliflower or potato roast. (We had it at our wedding too) A couple of years ago, when I made kuska rice, I got this grave doubt whats the difference between pulav, biryani, kuska rice and brinji are? I pinged Mullai, and we were discussing all these varieties.
The History of Brinji Rice
Every recipe traces its route long back in history. But I am just going to share what I understood. Please excuse me, if I am wrong. Biryani, as we all know, was introduced to us by Persians. We cook Biryani with different spices and spice powders. Traditionally Dum cooking should be followed for biryani. Pulao, on the other hand, is subtly spiced than biryani and it doesn’t require the Dum cooking. You can read more about pulao, pilaf, and biryani here. Now coming to Kuska rice or Kuska biryani, it is plain biryani without any veggies or meat, Whereas brinji is mild like pulav but cooked with coconut milk. There are no hard and fast rules; you can make what your family likes. I made the veggie version of kuska biryani with coconut milk, calling it thengai paal saadam.
Kiddo likes mild biryani and pulav, and during the toddler stage, kiddo used call biryani as the brown mum mum. A couple of years ago, I tried kuska rice with coconut milk, and he liked it very much and from then on it became our lunch box recipe. When I realized brinji rice is similar, then I tried this variation as well. I adapted the base recipe from Mullai’s space but modified it a bit to suit our taste buds. When you are tired of regular idli, roti and pasta for kids lunch, try this mild veg brinji rice. I used store bought coconut milk for this recipe, but of course, you can make it at home too. Also, I had only carrots and potatoes in hand so went with those veggies. But you can add beans, peas, and cauliflower too, but in little quantity. Here is the recipe for the Instant Pot Vegetable Brinji Rice prepared with seeraga samba rice,
Brinji Rice | Instant Pot Vegetable Brinji Rice Recipe
A flavorful rice recipe with exotic Indian spices and vegetables cooked in coconut milk. Here is the instant pot version of the famous veg brinji.
Ingredients:
Onion – 1 (Medium sized) Carrot -1 ( when chopped, I got ¾ cup) Potato – 1 Tomato – 1 Bay leaves – 2 Green chilies – 2 Oil – 1 tsp Ghee – 2 tsp Star Anise – 1 Fennel seeds – 1 tsp Ginger Garlic paste – 1 tsp Mint leaves – 15 Salt – 1.5 tsp Rice – 1.5 cups (I used seeraga samba variety) Thick Coconut Milk – 1.5 cups Water – 1.5 cups Chopped cilantro – 1 tbsp To roughly grind: Cardamom – 3 Cloves – 3 Cinnamon – 1-inch stick Fennel seeds – ½ tsp
Prep – Work:
Cut the onion and tomato and cut the carrot and potatoes into small cubes. If preparing fresh coconut milk, make it and set aside 1.5 cups of thick coconut milk. I used store bought one. Make sure you shake the can well before using and set aside 1.5 cups of coconut milk. Using hand mortar and pestle or using a mixer (in pulse mode) roughly grind the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and fennel seeds.
Wash and soak the rice for 15 minutes. Roughly the chop the mint leaves.
Instant Pot Method:
Set the IP in saute mode. When it is hot, then add the oil and ghee. Followed by fennel seeds, bay leaf and star anise.
Let it cook for 30 seconds and then add slit green chilies, ginger garlic paste, and onions. Cook until the onions turn translucent.
At this stage, add the mint leaves and the roughly ground masala and mix well.
Let it cook for a minute and then add the tomatoes, potatoes, and carrots.
Add salt and let it cook for two minutes.
Now add the water, coconut milk, and cilantro.
Drain the water from the rice and then add it the IP.
Mix all the ingredients and set the IP in manual mode and set it high pressure for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes let it sit in warm mode for 3 or 4 minutes and then quickly release the pressure.
Carefully open the lid and let it cool for 5 minutes before mixing.
Pressure Cooker Method:
Heat a pressure pan or cooker and add the oil and ghee. When it hot, then add the fennel seeds, bay leaf and star anise. Let it cook for 30 seconds and then add slit green chilies, ginger garlic paste, and onions. Cook until the onions turn translucent. At this stage, add the mint leaves and the roughly ground masala and mix well. Let it cook for a minute and then add the tomatoes, potatoes, and carrots. Add salt and let it cook for two minutes. Now add the water, coconut milk, and cilantro. Drain the water from the rice and then add it the pressure cooker. Mix all the ingredients and pressure cook for just one whistle. Let the pressure subside naturally and carefully open the lid. Allow it to cool again for 5 minutes, before mixing.
Notes:
Along with potatoes and carrots, you can use peas, beans, and cauliflower. Adjust the salt and spice as per your preference. Instead of water, you can use thin coconut milk. In that case, increase the green chili amount. I soak the rice only for 15 minutes and for seerga samba this timing worked out better. The cooking time in IP varies depending upon the rice variety and also based on the soaking time. If you want to skip the quick pressure release option, then cook the rice in the low-pressure mode for 3 to 5 minutes depending on the rice variety and let the pressure release naturally. Will post more about the low-pressure mode in the coming posts. Instead of seeraga sambar, you can use basmati or regular rice as well.
I usually serve this with raita, and I pack the rice when it is at room temperature.
📖 Recipe
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