THENGA PAAL SORU / COCONUT MILK RICE

This dish might look simple, but its big enough in terms of flavour to jazz up the rest of the meal. The smell of it cooking itself is enough to make you want to eat out of the pot! :)

It goes well with non vegetarian dishes........ like a spicy tamarind based fish curry or this Lamb Curry I posted yesterday.

INGREDIENTS:

basmathi rice (long grained rice) - 4 cups

cardamom - 4

bay leaves - 2

cloves - 5

cinnamon - 2 sticks

channa dal / kadala paruppu - 2 tbsps

fenugreek seeds/ vendhayam - 1 and a half tsp

onion, sliced thinly - 1 big

tomato, chopped - 1

ginger garlic paste - 1 and a half tbsp

curry leaves - 2 stems

ghee - 5 tbsps

oil to cook 

salt 

coconut milk and water - (equal proportions. see notes below)

PROCESS:

• Wash and soak the basmathi rice in water atleast for 20 minutes before cooking.
• Wash and soak the fenugreek and channa dal in water separately in water for atleast 20 minutes before cooking.
• Heat the oil and ghee in a saucepan. add in the bayleaves, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon.
• Add the onions and saute till slightly browned. the onions must be drowning in the oil and ghee while cooking. So don't be stingy with the oil. Add ginger garlic paste and cook for a few minutes till fragrant.
• Add the tomatoes and cook well. 
• Add the chana dal and cook for a few minutes till cooked (2-3 minutes)
• Next, add the fenugreek, curry leaves and salt and cook for a further 1 minute
• Switch off the flame.
• Add in the coconut milk and water.
• Pour this into a rice cooker and add in the drained rice. Check for salt and let it cook.

Notes:

• To cook the rice, I use 1 and 1/4 cups liquid for 1 cup rice.
• So, for 4 cups rice I have used 5 cups liquid
• so for 5 cups liquid - 2 and 1/2 cups water and 2 and 1/2 cups diluted coconut milk