I hate variety rice to the core, right from my childhood. If my mom packs me any variety rice other than tomato rice and curd rice for lunch, I come home in the evening without even tasting a spoon of it. I am so much adamant on this. Even now, i hate tamarind rice, lemon rice and this coconut rice to the core! Then if you ask me, why i am posting the dish i hate the most, then its because now i started to feel my mother feelings, when my son come home without eating few food which he do not like. and the next reason is my mom makes this coconut rice interesting by adding appalam to it. so i just want to share it here, So you could try and make the kids eat coconut rice!
We call it as appala poo sadam, may be because it has appalam and thengaai poo in it. You can prepare this in a jiffy, if you have grated coconut and appalams ready in hand. You should serve this appala poo sadam / coconut rice with liquid coconut chutney and also with potato roast or potato chips. Serving this plain will not be so good and may develop haters like me!
I served my appala poo sadam with baby potato roast. It was such a good combo.
Finally the pictures are shot with my new Canon 600d. starting auspiciously with the coconut!! I made a mistake with white balance and the pics started to look pale. I am still learning the new camera, hope i learn quick!! over to recipe now.
Cooked rice - 2 cup's
Fresh Grated coconut - 3/4 cup
Appalam - 4 (already fried / ready to eat)
Sesame oil - 1 tsp
For tempering:
Coconut oil / Sesame oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Peanuts - 2 tsp's
Chana dal - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 2 tsp's
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Green chilli - 2
Dry Red chilli - 1
Method:
Cook the rice, with right amount of water(rice:water should be 1:2) in pressure cooker for about 2 or 3 whistle count. make sure rice do not get mashy, Rice should be grains apart. you may also use basmati rice. Once the rice is cooked, spread the rice in wide bowl or plate, drizzle a tsp of coconut or sesame oil over the rice, mix with a fork and leave the rice to get cool.
Heat 1 tbsp of coconut oil in a pan, add mustard and let it pop, then add chana dal, urad dal, peanuts green & dry red chilli and roast them till they become golden in color. add curry leaves and fry it too. then add the grated coconut's and fry in low flame for about a minute mixing with the other tempering ingredients. Now add salt to taste.
Crush the appalam with your hands and just mix up with the other ingredients in the pan, mix it all up. switch off the flame. Then add rice to the pan, if possible you can toss the pan or slowly mix the rice with the tempering without breaking the rice. Now appala poo sadam is ready to serve.
Serve with little watery coconut chutney or with potato chips or potato roast.Note:
Only when the rice is served immediately the appalam will remain crisp. if served later, appalam turns soft, but no matter, still you can enjoy its taste.
Add Salt, keeping in mind that of the salt in appalam.