V is for Varan Bhaat and Vangi Kaap

Darn the camera!! As it is I am a lousy photographer.. to add on.. the lousy camera!!

OK, I'm done with my display of despair... thank u for bearing with me!

This is 'The' simplest meal and also one of the most comforting foods of all time is the down-to-earth 'Varan Bhaat' that is made in every Maharashtrian home. This simple meal can be made without any fuss and more importantly, without oil!

The simplicity of making it is something that will make u clap your hands in glee and get down to making it and one morsel of this 'varan-bhaat' will have you hooked!! Varan- bhaat is served with with a wedge of lemon and a dollop of 'shudh ghee'. The best part is this pure food (for want of better way of putting it) lies in the fact that there are no 'masalas' in it. A delight for the young and old and a must have for every occasion, weddings, pooja's, festival time and also when recuperating from an illness!!!

How to make this Varan?

1/2 cup Toor daal

2 pinches Asafetida

1/4 tsp. Turmeric

Salt to taste

Jaggery - small lump (Optional)

1 1/2 cup Water

Wash the Toor Daal in 3-4 changes of water. Add water, asafetida, salt, turmeric and jaggery. Set it in the pressure cooker and cook for up to 3 whistles or as long as it takes the cooker to cook daal to a mush.

Once the daal is cooked,remove from the cooker, with a spoon mash and mix evenly. If it is too thick, add little of water, keeping in mind that it has to be thick. That's it!!!

The ghee melted by the time I captured the picture :(

As an accompaniment to the Varan bhaat, I made Vangi Kaap.. for M

I believe every cuisine from every region in India has their own version of making this accompaniment! Here is my Maharashtrian Version

You need:
1 Large Brinjal (eggplant /vangi/ baingan) , sliced into med-thick slices
1/4 tsp. EACH, turmeric, Red Chilly pwd., Cumin pwd., Corriander pwd., Amchur pwd.
1/2 tsp, Rice Flour
1/2 tsp Sooji / rava/ Farina (this was my inclusion)
Salt to taste
Oil to shallow fry

Mix all the dry ingredients. Spray the brinjal slices with a bit of oil, sprinkle the masala on it (on both sides). Heat a skillet. Drizzle the oil on the skillet and then place the seasoned brinjal slices . Cook on a medium heat on both sides. Serve with lunch/ dinner. As an option, to keep it very simple, you can also exclude the cumin-corriander powder and use the basics to make vangi kaap.

This will go to Nupur as my contribution for V of the A-Z of Indian Vegs. ...