Name: Coconut Rice (Thengai Sadam)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Indian (South Indian)
Ingredients: 3 cups cooked, cooled rice; 1 cup fresh grated coconut (or ¾ cup desiccated, moistened); 3 tbsp coconut oil or oil; 1 tsp mustard seeds; 1 tbsp chana dal, 1 tbsp urad dal; 3 tbsp cashews; 2 dried red chillies; 2 green chillies, slit; 1 tsp grated ginger; 12 curry leaves; A pinch of asafoetida; Salt to taste

Coconut rice with cashews, lentils and curry leaves — Photo: Jsn.2k11 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Coconut rice is a fragrant South Indian favourite where fluffy rice is tossed with fresh grated coconut and a golden tempering of lentils, cashews and curry leaves. Subtly sweet and nutty, it's a festival dish and a fine way to transform plain rice into something special.

Servings: 4
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Rice: Cooked, cooled basmati or short-grain rice

Method

Tick a step to mark it done.

Step 1: Heat oil and pop the mustard seeds; add the chana dal, urad dal and cashews and fry until golden.
Step 2: Add the red chillies, green chillies, ginger, curry leaves and asafoetida; sauté briefly.
Step 3: Add the grated coconut and fry gently for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and lightly toasted (don't brown too much).
Step 4: Add the cooked rice and salt, and toss gently until evenly combined and heated through.

To serve

Pairs well with a spicy pickle or a simple vegetable curry.

Coconut Rice (Thengai Sadam)

Ingredients

Method

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