Thengai Sadam | South Indian Coconut Rice Recipe
Coconut Rice Recipe or Thengai Sadam is a traditional Variety Rice preparation from the South Indian Cuisine. Made with cooked rice, freshly grated coconut and peanuts, this dish is finished with a tempering of mustard, lentils and curry leaves in coconut oil. This is made during South Indian festivals like Aadi Perukku, Navaratri and even served as temple prasadam. The recipe is Gluten-free, Vegan and can easily be made nut-free.
Servings 3 people
Ingredients
- 1 cup Rice use any short grain variety - ponni, kolam, sona masoori
- 3 cups Water (1 cup for soaking + 2 cups for cooking rice)
- 1 cup Grated Coconut
- 1 tablespoon Chana Dal (Split Chickpeas)
- ½ teaspoon Mustard Seeds or Rai
- 3 tablespoon Roasted Peanuts skip, if allergic to nuts
- 2-3 Whole dry Red chillies roughly broken into pieces
- 1-2 Green Chillies finely chopped
- 3 tablespoon Coconut Oil (2 tbsp for cooking + 1 for drizzling before serving)
- a pinch of asafetida or hing
- Few sprigs of curry leaves as required
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak the Rice for 20 minutes with 1 cup of water, drain, rinse.
- Now pressure cook the rice with 2 cups of water until soft. Once cooked, allow the rice to cool slightly.
- Grate the coconut, chop the green chilies etc and keep aside.
- Now in a tempering pan, heat some coconut oil, add mustard seeds and let it to crackle.
- Add chana dal, hing, roasted peanuts, finely chopped green chilies, red chilies and curry leaves.
- Once the chana dal toasts and browns a bit, switch off the flame and pour the tempering over the rice. Add salt to taste and the freshly grated coconut
- Mix everything together until the coconut and tempering is evenly mixed with the rice.
- Drizzle a tablespoon of coconut oil just before you are ready to serve with a side of your choice.
Notes
Tips to Make Best Coconut Rice at home
- Rice should be perfectly cooked. It should not be mushy.
- In case of leftover rice or a day old rice stored in refrigerator - Sprinkle few drops of water and microwave the rice. This will soften the rice.
- Always allow the rice to cool before adding coconut and tempering.
- Coconut Rice or thengai sadam tastes best at room temperature. You can serve it slightly warm. Although, I won't recommend re-heating the rice as it affects shelf life (fresh coconut).
- Virgin Coconut Oil is the key. Use a good quality. The flavor and taste largely depends on coconut oil and fresh coconut.
- If you grate coconut at home, use the white part. Avoid brown bits.