Coconut Rice/South Indian Coconut Rice

Coconut Rice is a traditional rice preparation of south India. Cooked/ steamed rice added with fresh grated coconut, healthy and flavoured white rice recipe mainly cooked with grated fresh coconut and basmati/long grain rice.

An aroma of curry leaves and fresh coconut makes the rice flavourful. The crunch of the fried coconut and the other dal and nuts gives you amazing flavours in our mouth. It can be had with coconut chutney or a curry, kurma of your choice.

Coconut Rice is made during festivals as offering to god (naiveyadam) along with Curd Rice, Pongal and other offerings. Let’s start making the rice:

Ingredients

• 3 tsp oil
• 1 tsp mustard
• ½ tsp urad dal
• ½ tsp chana dal
• 2 Sprigs of curry leaves
• 1 dried red chilli (Torn)
• 2 green chilli, slit (Finely Chopped)
• ¼ cup of chopped cashewnuts
• ¼ cup of ground nuts
• ¾ cup coconut, grated
• 2 cup cooked rice
• ½ tsp salt

Method:

• In a large hard bottomed vessel/kadai heat 3 tsp oil and fry/sauté mustard, urad dal, chana dal, curry leaves, dried red chilli, green chilli
• Fry/Roast the cashews and ground nuts roast till the cashews turn golden brown and keep it aside.
• Add in ¾ cup grated coconut and sauté for a minute or till raw smell goes away and gives you very nice smell of the coconut.
• Now add the cooked rice and salt. Mix the whole lot gently without breaking the rice.
• Cover and leave it for 2 minutes, or till rice absorbs coconut flavour.
• Finally, serve coconut rice with coconut chutney or any curry. I have served it with Mushroom Xacuti.

Note: It can be made in Biryani Style by cooking coconut milk, which will put the recipe and steps next time.