Coconut-milk Pulav (Mom's recipe)

The aroma of coconuts wafting from the kitchen bring back fond memories of childhood. This isn't comfort food, but it is incredibly comforting to walk down memory lane, triggered by the culinary senses, especially those that remind me of mom. This is her hit coconut milk rice - thengai paal saadam that was made on special occasions and sometimes just on Sundays. I just tweaked it a little bit to use basmati rice and cooked it in the kadai rather than in the cooker like mom used to. And every time I cook this, I share some incident or memory with the kids about their grandmother, chewing the cud of by-gone days. It is a fond way to remember. 

Recipe (serves 4) 

Ingredients:

Basmati rice - 1 cup

Coconut milk - 2 cups

Carrots, green peas, beans - 1 cup

Curry leaves - 8-10

Cumin - 1 tsp

Green chillies - 3, slit lengthwise

Onion - 1 small

Ginger Garlic paste - 2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1 pinch

Salt - to taste

Garam masala - 1 tsp 

Coconut Oil - 1 tbsp, + as needed for frying

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Garnishing:

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Cashews - 10 split

Coriander leaves, finely chopped - 1tbsp 

Method:

Wash and soak the basmati rice for about 15-20 minutes. 

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan. When the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, curry leaves and green chillies. When the seeds start to sputter, add onions and ginger garlic paste. Add the turmeric powder and fry until the onions are transparent. Add the vegetables, garam masala and stir fry. Add more oil if needed and fry until the vegetables feel slightly soft. 

Drain the water from the basmati rice. Add it to the fried vegetables, and continue frying for a couple of more minutes until the rice is aromatic. 

Add the coconut milk and salt to taste. Mix well and when it comes to a boil, close the lid and reduce the flame. 

Let the rice cook for about 5-7 minutes. Lift the lid and check until the rice is cooked, and there is no water in the pan. 

Switch off the flame, splash about 1 tbsp of ghee on top and leave the rice undisturbed for a few minutes. 

Fold in the rice in the pan once to mix the ghee well.

In a tadka pan, add 1 tbsp ghee and the split cashews and heat until the cashews turn golden brown. Turn off the flame and continue frying the cashews. Add it to the cooked coconut milk rice and garnish with coriander leaves on top. 

Yummy coconut milk rice is ready to serve.

Verdict: The rice is best paired with some spicy curry - channa/rajma masala, kofta curry, chicken gravy are some combinations.