Rice aubergine casserole !!!!!!!

I adapted this recipe from GEETHS DAWATH. Usually i don't like brinjal but liked it very much in this dish. And i used only half a quantity of ingredients in this recipe. But i used 2 cubes of cheese because i am a cheese lover.  Original recipe says bake it in convention mode , as i don't have convention mode in my oven i baked it in m/w mode for 13 mins and t came out well.

INGREDIENTS:-

Rice - 1 cup
bay leaves - 2
round brinjal or aubergine - 1 large cut into 1" pieces
capsicum - 1 large, cut into 1/2" pieces
oil for deep frying

RED SAUCE:-

oil - 2 tbsp
onions - 1 1/2 chopped
tomatoes - 4 large pureed
oregano - 1 tsp
salt - 1/4 tsp
pepper pow - 1/4 tsp
red chilly pow - 1/2 tsp
sugar - 1/2 tsp

CHEESE SAUCE OR WHITE SAUCE:-

butter - 2 tbsp, softened
flour - 2 tbsp
milk - 2 cups
cheese - 2 cubes, grated
salt - 3/4 tsp
pepper pow - 1/4 tsp
mushroom - 1 cup, chopped (optional) - i didn't use

METHOD FOR BRINJAL:-

1. Sprinkle 3/4 tsp salt on the brinjal pieces, mix & keep aside for 1/2 an hour to sweat.
2. Pat dry the pieces on a paper napkin or kitchen towel.
3. Heat oil & deep fry until golden brown & keep it aside.

METHOD FOR THE RICE :-

1. Boil 5-6 cups of water with 1 tsp salt , bay leaves, add washed rice & cook till tender.
2. Strain excess water run a fork through the hot rice to separate the rice grains & keep aside.
3. You may also prepare the rice in rice cooker.
4. Or the third option is put washed rice+salt+bay leaves+water(double the quantity of rice i. e. 1:2) in a pressure cooker & pressure cook for 2 whistles and keep it aside. (i used the 3rd option)

METHOD FOR THE RED SAUCE;-

1. Heat oil and chopped onions & cook till it turns light brown.
2. Add pureed tomatoes_sugar+salt+pepper+oregano+red chilly pow.
3. Cook for about 5 mins till slightly thick remove from heat & keep it aside.

METHOD FOR THE CHEESE SAUCE OR WHITE SAUCE:-

1. Heat butter in a clean pan, add flour & stir on low heat for 1 min.
2. Add milk & stir continuously till it comes to a boil, cook for about 2 mins till it coats the spoon well.
3. Add  mushrooms & cook for 4-5 mins (optional).
4. Remove from heat, add cheese, salt & pepper, the sauce should be thin.
5. Keep it aside.

TO ASSEMBLE:-

1. Spread half the cooked rice in a medium oven proof dish.
2. Spread half the aubergine & chopped capsicum on the rice.
3. Top the brinjal with half the red sauce, sprinkle half the white sauce.
4. Again spread the rice, then brinjals & then the red sauce, top with white sauce & lastly spread capsicum.

 5. Cover the dish with an aluminium foil & bake in a preheated oven for about 10 minutes at 200*c, uncover the casserole & bake further for 5 mins. ( as i don't have convention mode in my oven, i microwaved it for 13 mins, uncovered).

6. Serve hot.

HAPPY COOKING :))))))