Thengai Sadham | How To Make Tamil Nadu Thengai Sadam | South Indian Coconut Rice

 

Coconut Rice Recipe | Tamil Nadu Thengai sadam Recipe | South Indian Coconut Rice with step by step photos. Coconut rice is well-known TamilNadu Cuisine where boiled rice is seasoned with  coconut, nuts, herbs and spices. It is considered as a quick and easy lunch box menu and is prepared frequently for lunch. Today, we will discuss the preparation of this delicious Tamil Cuisine.

Coconut rice - About

Coconut rice, as the name indicates, is a coconut based rice dish.  It is called thengai sadam in Tamil. The word thengai means coconut and sadam denote a rice based dish. 

Thengai sadham uses coconut and rice as its main ingredients. You can use freshly prepared or left over rice for this recipe. The boiled and cooled rice is tempered with herbs and spices. Ghee and coconut oil is used for tempering. Green chilies, ginger, curry leaves and dried red chilies are the other compulsory ingredients of this dish. A few cashew nuts and some pulses are also used to introduce some crunchiness. 

TamilNadu Thengai Sadam - Expert's Tips

1. To make thengai sadham, you can use any white rice such as boiled rice, jeeraga samba rice, basmati rice etc.
2. Ginger and curry leaves combination is the taste and flavor contributor, so these are the two compulsory ingredients. 
3. The rice should not be overcooked. If the rice is overcooked, then the thengai sadham won't taste good. 
4. Freshly grated coconut gives the best taste and flavor and also the coconut should not be overcooked. 
5. Some nuts such as almonds, cashews, etc. can also be used to make the rice more appealing.

South Indian Coconut rice - Serving suggestion

Coconut rice or thengai sadham is a famous lunch item in TamilNadu. This easy to make and aromatic rice can be served with any spicy veg or non veg curry of your choice. It is also a normal lunch box item of TamilNadu.

FAQ - Thengai sadham

1.  Does thengai sadham or coconut rice taste good?

        Of course, it is a tasty dish. Thengai sadham is a mildly spicy dish with slight coconut flavor.

2. What is coconut rice made of?

        Coconut rice is made with cooked white rice, which is later seasoned with coconut oil, curry leaves, ginger, green chili, red chilies, asafoetida, etc.

3. Why coconut rice does not taste like coconut?

        Coconut has a very mild flavor which can be easily drained by  other ingredients. 

4. Which rice is good for thengai sadam?

        Any type of white rice can be used for making thengai sadam. Tamil ponni rice, basmati rice, jeeraka samba rice, etc. can be used. But never overcook the rice, leave a slight bite while cooking. Otherwise, the rice will be mashed up while tempering. 

5.  Which oil is best for making thengai sadham?

        For tempering, use coconut oil or a combination of coconut oil and ghee.

How To Make TamilNadu Style Coconut Rice

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Thengai sadam | Tamil Nadu Coconut rice Recipe | How to Make South Indian rice with coconut

White rice seasoned with coconut and spices

Preparation time: 10 minutes | Cooking time: 5 minutes | Total time: 15 minutes

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Ingredients

• 250 gram cooked white rice (ponni rice, basmati rice, jeeraga samba rice)
• 1 tsp ghee
• 3 tsp oil
• 1.5 tsp chana dal
• 1 tsp black gram urad dal
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1/2 tsp asafoetida
• 10 cashew nuts
• 4 green chilies, chopped
• 4 red chilies, halved
• 2 spring curry leaves
• 1 small piece of ginger
• 1 small coconut grated

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Preparation of thengai sadam with step by step photos

1. Heat one wok over high heat. When the wok turns hot, pour ghee and coconut oil.
   
   
   
2. As soon as the coconut oil comes to the smoking temperature, reduce the flame to medium and put mustard seeds. 
   
   
   
3. As soon as the crackling sound stops, put cumin seeds, split Bengal gram and split black gram. Sauté for a minute. Never over cook the pulses, it will turn hard. Stop sautéing, when the pulses start to change its color. 
   
   
   
4. Put ginger, green chilies, curry leaves and dried red chilies. Add cashew nuts if using. Sauté for a minute, till it turns aromatic. Do not overcook, the pulses should not change its color.
   
   
   
5. Further add asafoetida Sauté till the raw smell leaves.
   
   
   
6. Add freshly grated coconut. 
   
   
   
7. Mix well till well combined. The coconut should not leave its freshness. 
   
   
   
8. Immediately add cooked rice and salt to taste. 
   
   
   
9. Combine with soft hands. The rice grains should not break.
   
   
   
10. Serve hot with any veg or non veg curry and Enjoy.
    
    
    

Happy cooking

Anju