Thengai Sadam

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1 cup fresh grated coconut
• Mustard seeds
• Chana dal
• Urad dal
• 3 dried red chillies
• Curry leaves
• Peanuts
• Ghee
• Salt

Method

1. Cook and cool rice: Cook 2 cups long-grain rice with slightly less water for separate grains. Spread on a plate and cool completely.
2. Make coconut milk: Blend 1 cup fresh grated coconut with 1 cup warm water. Strain for thick milk. Repeat for thin milk.
3. Heat coconut oil: Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil in a wide pan.
4. Make tempering: Add 1 tsp mustard seeds and wait until they pop. Add 1 tbsp chana dal and 1 tbsp urad dal. Fry until golden.
5. Add aromatics: Add 2 broken dried red chillies, 1 sprig curry leaves, a pinch of asafoetida and 2 tbsp raw cashews. Fry until cashews are golden.
6. Add grated coconut: Add 3 tbsp freshly grated coconut to the pan. Fry 1-2 minutes — just to warm through, not to brown.
7. Season: Add half tsp turmeric and salt. Mix well.
8. Add rice: Add cooled rice and gently fold with a flat spatula — do not press or stir hard.
9. Add coconut milk: Drizzle 3 tbsp thick coconut milk over the rice and fold gently.
10. Serve: Taste and adjust salt. Add a drizzle of fresh coconut oil for aroma. Serve at room temperature with papad and pickle.