Alma Bax The best rice is the one that you prepare yourself. So, I decided to share with you my secret of how to get good rice. This is called thengai sadam . This is very simple, just put the rice in the pot, add water and salt. Then cook until done. That’s all.
Rice is a staple food all around the world. And, in my opinion, there is no better alternative to rice than coconut rice. Although it is not widely consumed in the US, it is a dish that is very popular in many parts of the world. In fact, it is so popular that if you ask any random person for a recipe for coconut rice they will probably give you that recipe for Southwest Coconut Rice or Puerto Rican Coconut Rice. Although there are variations of this rice dish, one dish that is very similar to this is called Tamilnadu Thengai Sadam or Thengai Sadam. The Thengai Sadam is a popular rice dish in Tamilnadu and is used for various occasions. It is a
Coconut rice is a traditional Kerala dish that is rich in healthy monosaturated fat and minerals.
Coconut rice, also known as Thengai Sadam, is a popular rice dish in South India, and is often made for a fast meal, lunch box, or even during festivals as one of the numerous varieties of rice. Thengai Sadam (coconut rice) is made using freshly grated coconut, which gives the rice its flavor and taste. Coconut rice is one of several rice meals available, including curd rice, lemon rice, tomato rice, and others. It’s quick and simple to make, and it’ll come in useful when you don’t have much time in the morning to pack lunch for school or work.
Time to prepare: 5 minutes
Time to cook: 10 minutes (excluding time for cooking rice)
South Indian cuisine
Mild spiciness
2 people (small portion)
Ingredients
-
- 2 cups boiled ponni rice
- 1 cup freshly grated coconut
Tadka/tempering
-
- 2 tbsp. oil
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon urad dal
- 1 teaspoon chana dal
- 4 dry chillies
- 15 curry leaves
- a pinch or 1/8 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
- 4 green chilies, slit or half
- 12 to 15 cashew nuts (split)
Garnishing
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped)
Method
- Soak 1 cup raw rice (ponni, basmati, sona masoori, or regular rice) for 30 minutes in enough water.
- Salt the rice and cook it until it is fluffy. It is necessary to separate the grains. As soon as the rice is done, lay it out on a large dish to cool. For this dish, I used 2 cups of cooked rice.
- I used shredded coconut that had been frozen. Thaw first, then use – this simplified my labor.
- If using fresh coconut, place it in a freezer-safe bag and split it into two pieces. The water will be kept in the bag, and the coconut water may be consumed later.
- Remove the coconut pieces, grate it, and set it aside.
- Remove the seeds from green chilies by slitting them or splitting them in half. Split the cashews in half and set aside.
- Oil a nonstick pan or any other utensil. When the pan is heated, add the mustard seeds and let them sizzle.
- Combine the urad dal, chana dal, cashews, dried chilies (whole or split), green chilies, hing (asafoetida), and curry leaves in a large mixing bowl. Toss everything together. Cook until the cashews are golden brown and the green chilies are roasted.
- Mix in the shredded coconut well. Cook till it becomes a light golden color. You may roast it to a light brown color if you like.
- On high or medium heat, saute for 2 to 3 minutes. To get an even roasting color, keep stirring constantly. Turn off the light.
- Add salt to taste, and be careful not to overdo it while salting the rice (balance it).
- Mix the cooked rice with the coconut mixture, cook for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat, then turn off the heat.
- Alternatively, keep the heat low and cook for 10 minutes with the lid closed.
- Coriander leaves may be used as a garnish.
- With potato chips, potato poriyal, or papad, serve coconut rice.
Notes
- Use ponni or sona masoori rice or any other regular rice (basmati isn’t required). If brown rice isn’t readily available, basmati rice may be substituted.
- To taste, add fresh grated coconut.
- My green chilies were mild, so adjust the amount to your preference.
Coconut Rice / Thengai Sadam is the most popular south Indian side dish and it’s an Indian version of “rice pilaf”. This dish is very popular in the southern Indian states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka and is also widely prepared in other parts of India. The secret of this recipe is the combination of the coconut and the rice. Both these ingredients are the main ingredients of this dish.. Read more about how to prepare coconut rice and let us know what you think.
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