Coconut Rice ( Thengai saadam )

Coconut is so much an integral part of cooking at my mom's place. With 7 coconut trees, not a single day passed without coconut in our food. Kurma, poriyal, kozhambu all had coconut in it. With the surplus coconut we would make coconut oil and my dad always insisted that Dosais have to be drizzled wtih coconut oil. There area a number of dishes made with coconut that I absolutely love

• * coconut milk ( thengai paal ) - the ultimate combo with aapam
• * aviyal ( a to-die for blend of veggies in coconut milk
• * amma's mutton kurma ( mutton stew with coconut milk )
• * thengai paal saadam - rice cooked in coconut milk and spices
• * Illaneer ( water from the tender coconut )
• * Coconut Chutneys
• * Coconut barfi

Coconut rice ( Thengai saadam ) - JFI- Coconut

So obviously selecting a recipe for JFI was not easy. I chose coconut rice for JFI because it was the fall back recipe that my amma always did when she was short of ideas for the lunch box. I love this recipe for its simplicity too. Its ideal recipe to whip up quickly.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a kadai or wok. Season with a teaspoon each of cumin, uraddal, channa dal, mustard and curry leaves. Once the mustard pops, add finely chopped 8 pearl onions ( or 1 medium sized onion ). Allow the onions to become soft and translucent. Saute for about 8 to 10 minutes. Add a cup of shredded coconut and continue to saute for 5 minutes. Switch off the stove and add two teaspoon of freshly ground black/white pepper. Add a cup to cup and half of cooked/cooled rice to the mixture. Enjoy with mint chutney.