Ellorai, sesame seeds rice is a quick to make mixed rice/kalanda saadam recipe. A easy to make rice dish that can be packed for lunch box.
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The Festival
The second day of Pongal festival, comes Kanu Pongal, the day , we do pooja for the wellbeing of our brothers and for the unity in the family.
Pooja will be performed early in the morning. The offering is balls of leftover rice and sarkarai pongal from the previous day. The colorful rice balls, placed neatly on turmeric leafs and offered to the crows.
The Prayer
Kaaka Pidi vachen, kannu pidi vachen, kaakai ellam kalyanam, un kootam polave en kootamum othumaya vazhanum
காக்கா பிடி வைத்தேன், கண்ணு பிடி வைத்தேன், காக்கை எல்லாம் கல்யாணம். உன் கூட்டம் போலவே என் கூட்டமும் ஒற்றுமையா வாழணும்.
It roughly translates to, here i touch/offer these colorful rice balls to you crows, i wish my family always stay united, just like yours. After the pooja, we need to bath and eat the leftover rice, not the one offered to crows, there will be some leftover rice kept separately for breakfast. We usually have it along with curd.
While discussing this tradition with sangeeta khanna, she enlightened me that seasonal changes causes good gut bacteria in these leftover food. Traditions like these prepare our body well for the oncoming change in the air.
Unfortunately, many don't value these traditions much these days, we simply shut them off and it ends abruptly. Our grandparents were definitely wiser than the doctors now. Let us try to follow some of the old eating habits and free ourselves a bit from trouble.
The Food
Mixed rices, also known as variety rice , called kalanda saadam in tamil. the word Kalanda means to mix, Saadam, means rice. Kalanda Saadam, means mixed rice.
Mixed/variety rice recipes, like lemon rice, coconut rice, Ellorai, puliyodharai and aviyal, will be the menu for the day. My normal menu is coconut rice, lemon rice and some aviyal for side. This year, I wanted to try a different mixed rice .
Ellorai/Sesame seeds mixed rice, is a pretty easy rice to make, you can make the spice powder ahead and store in the fridge. If storing, i would recommend not more than a week, spice powder will lose its aroma and vigor if stored for long.
The Ingredients
- Sesame seeds, the star ingredient of this recipe. I have used a combination of both white and black sesame seeds in the recipe.
- I suggest using black sesame a little bit more as it would it give a deep color to the rice. Sesame seeds are rich in calcium, so i try to use them as much as possible in my cooking
- Dal, I have used both chana dal and black gram in the recipe. I prefer using skinned urad dal. If using urad dal with skin it might change the color of the spice powder. You can use either whole or split ones.
- Coriander seeds, add a nice nutty aroma to the spice powder.
- Chilies, i have used red chilies round variety to spice the powder.
Ellorai |Sesame Seeds Rice - Mixed Rice, Lunch Box recipe
Ingredients
For the spice powder
- ¼ cup urad dal split black gram dal
- 2 tablespoon chana dal
- ¼ cup black sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoon white sesame seeds
- 8-10 nos red chilies i used round variety
- 2 tablespoon coriander seeds dhaniya vathal
- ¼ teaspoon hing/asafoetida
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
To Make Rice
- 1 cup cooked rice white/brown/matta
- 3 tablespoon Sesame seeds spice powder/Ellorai powder
For tempering
- 1 teaspoon gingely oil
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds/kadugu
- 1-2 nos red chilies
- ¼ teaspoon urad dal
- 3 tablespoon broken cashewnuts/peanuts/almonds
- a sprig of curry leaf
Instructions
- Dry roast every ingredient given under spice powder, separately except hing and salt.
- Let them cool well. Grind them along with hing and salt into a fine powder using a mixer.
To Make the Rice
- Spread the cooked rice on a flat plate and fluff it up with a fork.
- In a tadka pan, heat oil, splutter mustard seeds, add chili, curry leaves, urad dal and cashewnuts. Let the dal and nut brown a bit. Take it off the stove.
- Add the sizzling tadka to rice, mix well. Add ellorai powder/sesame seeds spice powder and mix well.
- Check the taste, adjust salt, if needed. Serve or pack with your favorite curry for a delicious meal.
Disclaimer
I m not a Doctor or a Nutritionist The Nutrition information provided above comes from the plugin and is only an estimate.
If you have tried this recipe and like it, give it a star rating or let me know in the comments below. You could also share it with me on Instagram using #icampinmmykitchen and tagging me @priyasrinivasan
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Serve this spicy ellorai with sweet potato fry. If you prefer something gravy like, then go for aloo gravy
Mixed Rice Varieties
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Unknown says
I love this ellupodi rice. Some how in my house they dont make it very often. Rice looks really great.
Traditionally Modern Food says
My fav rice:-) yum
Rafeeda AR says
A very interesting variety of rice... flavorful..
Priya Suresh says
My kind of food, can have it everyday without any fuss.
cookingwithsapana says
Love sesame seeds rice.Looks very delicious Priya.
Pavani says
Such a delicious and nutritious sesame rice. Looks amazing.
Srividhya says
Amazing clicks. Love the ellu podi. great
sushma says
Love this podi, am a big fav of these spice powders.
Nisha says
It's been ages since I made this. Should make it soon. One of my favorite rice and good to know the reasoning behind our tradition.
vaishali sabnani says
Very interesting to read about the festival details . The rice and the podi both look great .
Harini R says
Love it. I love the mortar n pestle in the picture 🙂
Chef Mireille says
I love learning about the different cultural traditions
Kalyani says
We too make Ellorai / Ellogarai for Kanu and also for Navratri & Purattasi. The coriander seeds is a new addition here, and will try it out next time. Lovely share, Priya. great pics
Neha (My Culinary Expressions) says
Priya this sesame seeds podi seem so flavorsome. I enjoy the stories about tradition and culture that you weave through your recipes. Will try out this recipe soon this winter. Nice pics
Radha says
Pass me a bowl please! In fact, I love the podi and add it to my dosa. We make ellodharai often in our home.
Mayuri Patel says
Who can refuse such a flavourful and tempting rice dish? This is a must try recipe as I am a big fan of sesame seeds. And the cold weather is perfect to trying out this rice with warming spices.
Priya S says
I just love ellorai anytime of the year .Kanu and 18am perukku ,I definitely make ellorai with my all time favorite puliyodharai ! The aroma of freshly roasted and ground podi is vera level.