Coconut Rice | Thengai Saadam | South-indian style
Coconut rice is a south-indian style mixed rice dish, made with fresh coconut, chiilies and rice. It is called Thengai saadam/saatham and it is a most commonly made lunch box recipe too.
Calories
Ingredients
- 1&½ cups cooked rice
- ½ cup freshly grated coconut
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1-2 tablespoon broken cashew-nuts
- fresh coriander leaves for garnish chopped
- 2 pinches of freshly pounded coriander powder
Tempering
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds/kadugu
- 4-5 nos red chilies or 2-3 green chilies
- 1 teaspoon urad dal
- 1 teaspoon chana dal
- ⅛ teaspoon hing/asafoetida
- a sprig of curry leaf
Instructions
- Spread the rice on a plate and fluff it with a fork. If using leftover rice, then i would suggest steam it a little in the Microwave or on the stove-top.
- If you are planning to cook rice fresh, then rinse 1 cup of rice 3 or 4 times with water. Add 2 cups of fresh water, cook the rice on stove-top, once the rice is 90% done, strain the extra water completely and keep it covered for 10 minutes. If making in pressure cooker, cook for 3 whistles.
- In a wide pan, heat oil. Splutter mustard seeds, add hing and curry leaves. once the leaves turns crisp, add red chilies. saute for a minute, next add both the dals and fry until they turn light brown.
- Keep an eye after adding dals, they turn brown pretty quick, now add cashew nuts and saute for 30 seconds. Next add fresh coconut and fry for a minute or two. Take it off the stove
- Add the cooked rice to the coconut and mix well. Add salt mix well,. Add fresh coriander leaves to the rice.
- I sprinkle a pinch or two of freshly pounded coriander powder, that adds a great taste to the rice.
- Toss it once and serve warm with your favorite curry. Or pack it for the lunch box.