Recipe- Mouthwatering Coconut Rice

The sweetness and nuttiness of freshly grated coconut are enhanced by the mild heat from the chilies, and the fragrance of hing. A sublime experience, this coconut rice is. And gets ready in a jiffy.

Ingredients

1 cup basmati rice, cooked so that grains are separate

For Tempering

1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tbsp urad dal
1 sprig Curry leaves
10-15 pieces broken or whole cashew nuts unsalted
1-2 green chilies for flavor; can be skipped
1/4 tsp Hing
1/2 cup Fresh or frozen grated coconut
1/2 tsp salt for the coconut mix
1 tbsp tempering oil (avocado/coconut)

Method

* Cook rice - for basmati, typically I use 2 cups water to 1 cup of washed and soaked rice, so that the grains are separate. Spread in a bowl, drizzle some oil, sprinkle salt and hing.

* Gather seasoning and tempering ingredients - curry leaves, cashew pieces, green chilies

* In a pan, heat the oil for tempering. When hot, add the mustard seeds and let them pop. Lower heat. Add urad dal, and let it get golden.

* Add cashew pieces, curry leaves, and slit green chilies, if using and fry for a minute or so, until the cashew pieces get golden brown

* Add fresh/frozen and thawed coconut and fry. You'll know it's ready when it gets golden brown, and releases a nutty fragrance .

* Add salt to the seasoning

* Pour over the cooled rice, and mix gently without breaking the grains.

* Serve with avial. This is part of a mixed rice thali of puliyodarai (tamarind rice/pulihora), avial (vegetable yogurt gravy), papad, dhaddiyonnam (yogurt rice), and mango thokku (pickle).