Colour Rice Vankaya Kura is a delicious combo meal and an excellent way to welcome you all to the New Year! I am looking forward to a wonderful Foodie year ahead!.
It’s with great pleasure I am sharing yet another edition of Blogging Marathon that’s entered its 60th edition this month. It surely makes it all the more special. It would not have been possible if not for my BM friends and you my readers.
We are starting the first week with a wonderful theme “Your Family Recipe” and for the day I will be sharing something from my inlaw’s kitchen.
For over many years we have been following the tradition of visiting Hubby’s hometown during Sankranti. That’s when we all meet the entire family as both his sisters family to come together. Apart from us, there are his cousin’s families too, visiting. So it will be a huge gathering and much fun and frolic happens.
This year due to various reasons, we ended up visiting during Christmas vacation. And I didn’t lift a finger, no not even a toe! Everybody had fun including me, who tried spending most available time reading. Needless to say, it was the most enjoyed time.
In such times, I always look forward to the cooking that happens, in which I feature most and also gather their food customs etc. I mostly try to replicate the dishes immediately, to ensure the correctness of hearing is not missed.
During such gathering nonveg meals become the highlight and since I am the lone vegetarian, I mostly request them to avoid cooking for me. My SIL never agrees and always makes something special for me. As the rice is always the Masala rice or the Colour Rice as its famously called, it is easy to make a side dish along with the rice.
So this time again, she made a colour rice and a brinjal side dish that was so delicious. Especially when you driving down and have a picnic basket made, the meal becomes so interesting.
December was a tough month with hardly anything cooked for the blog other than my brownies for Bake-a-thon. I am hoping to bounce back with this edition!
My packed lunch was Colour rice with Vankaya Kura along with Seeru Keerai Poriyal with pappuru
Step by Step Pictures for making Colour Rice Vankaya Kura
Brinjal Curry with Coconut Masala Paste and Roasted Peanut powder

Servings |
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- 1/2 cup Coconut chopped
- 1/4 cup Coriander Leaves
- 2 Cloves
- 2 Cinnamon
- 1 Green Chillies
- 2 cups Rice
- 4 cups Water
- 1/2 Onions julienne
- 1 tsp Ginger Garlic paste
- 1/4 cup Coriander Leaves
- 2 Cloves
- 2 Cinnamon
- 2 Cardamom
- 2 tsp Cooking Oil
- 2 tsp Ghee you can use Butter instead as well
- 2 Green Chillies
- 2 tsp Masala paste
- 1 cup Brinjal chopped
- 1/2 cup Onions
- 1 big Tomato
- 1/2 tsp Ginger Garlic paste
- A pinch Turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp Red Chilli powder
- 1 tsp Coriander Powder
- 2 tsp Masala paste
- 2 tsp Roasted Peanut Powder I powdered it without garlic this time
- Coriander Leaves for garnish
- 2 tsp Cooking Oil
Ingredients
For the Masala Paste
For the Colour Rice
For the Vankaya Kura
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- Wash and grind the above to a smooth paste. This paste can be frozen for a month or so. In refrigeration, it can be for a week if preserved in a tight box.
- Wash and soak the rice for 30 mins.
- In a pressure cooker, heat oil and ghee. Saute the whole spices, then add onion juliennes. Saute till it changes colour. Now add slit green chillies, ginger garlic paste, coriander leaves.
- Fry everything till it almost changes colour. Add salt and drained rice.
- Add water and mix well.
- Cover with lid and cook for 3 whistles. Wait for the pressure to fall down, and fluff before transferring to a serving bowl.
- Heat a pressure cooker with oil, saute the onions till it slightly changes colour.
- Add the ginger garlic paste, then chopped tomatoes. Now add the masala paste along with all the spice powders. Simmer and cook with sprinkling some water till the tomato are mushy and the spices are cooked well.
- Now chop brinjal and add to the gravy. Saute everything together well.
- Sprinkle little more water, add the peanut powder. Water should be just enough to cover the vegetable.
- Cover with lid and pressure cook for 1 to 2 whistle.
- Gently release the pressure and transfer.
- Serve with colour rice
This side dish can be a dry dish or little more gravy included by adding more masala paste and water.
However, since brinjal gets cooked very fast, ensure you keep it for a whistle and release the pressure safely.
In general take care not to add too much of the masala paste as we will be adding to both the dishes. Rice and Brinjal can be cooked in a pan as well. However cooking in the pressure cooker takes hardly about 30 mins and is so ideal for the early morning rush.
You can check out how Roasted Peanut Powder is made


This goes for the September Week 2, Cooking from Cookbook Challenge Group.
21 comments
Colour rice with vankaya kura,delicious wat a combo..Inviting dishes.
LOVELY COMBO!,delicious.
lovely combo ,delicious.
I am glad you had a relaxing time Valli. Even superwomen need recharging now and then ;-). The meal looks wonderful and its great that your family lovingly prepare this for you 🙂
Glad that you had a wonderful time..you really needed, the combo meal looks delicious. So sweet of your sis in law to make it specially for you.
Nice combination. I love brinjal in any form and this looks so yum..
That is a lovely meal. We love brinjal and this recipe has been duly bookmarked 🙂
NICE POST
Glad to hear that you had a relaxing vacation Valli. Much needed for sure.
Rice and spicy vankaya kura sounds like a yummy yummy meal. Cilantro masala in the curry sounds amazing.
Very nice combo.Looks like a perfect meal.Glad to know that you had good relaxing time.
perfect meal for post vacation bliss 🙂 we too make coloured rice for Kanu pongal – recipe coming up 😀
Hope you had a very nice and relaxing vacation.Color rice and brinjal curry combo sounds delicious.
I am in love with the eggplant gravy. I am definitely going to make it. The combo sounds delicious.
Lovely recipe for eggplant lovers. These days my older one has taken a liking to these eggplants and so I am making an effort to cook eggplants wearing gloves. I know lot of drama 🙂
Your lunch combo looks so mouth watering, Valli. I must try your vankaya koora sometime….Looks delicious!!
Never cooked eggplants with this masala. Good one.
Lovely combo Valli. I think I am bookmarking this 🙂
what is that in yellow box
Hi Nabila, thats seeru keerai poriya with dal, you can check it out here https://www.cooking4allseasons.com/2014/04/poosanikai-kootu-keerai-poriyal-tami.html
ok can we substitute amaranth leaves with fenugreek leaves [ choti methi]
We mostly use the amaranth / Mulai keerai for dal. However you can always make it as stir fry too. Fenugreek leaves may not be suitable on its own like this. Also the methi will reduce to a tiny amount.