Thenga Choru (South India)

The name is actually from Kerala but the recipe is popular throughout South India either as Coconut Rice, Kobbari Annam or Thenga Choru. Comparatively easier than Biryani to prepare, this dish is very tasty.

Ingredients

Long grain rice 2 cups

Coconut milk 4 cups

Carrot ½ cup (diced)

Beans ¼ cup (chopped)

Lemon ½ (juice)

Cummin seeds ½ teaspoon

Cinnamon 1 stick

Cloves 3

Cardamoms seeds ½ teaspoon

Green chilies 3 (slit)

Onion 2 large (sliced)

Cashew nuts 8 to 10 (split)

Raisins 8 to 10

Ghee, water and curry leaves as required

Method §  Wash and soak rice for 1 hour; drain and keep aside. §  Heat ghee in a saucepan; sauté cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, green chilies, and curry leaves; add half of the sliced onions and sauté to translucent; add carrots and beans and stir for 2 to 3 minutes in medium flame. §  Add rice and stir in low flame for 4 to 5 minutes; add coconut milk and allow it to boil; add salt and lemon juice; cook under cover until rice is done and all coconut milk is absorbed; if required add a little more water to get the rice cooked well; once cooked keep aside. §   Heat a frying pan with ghee; add remaining onions to it and fry until brown and keep aside; in the same ghee fry cashew nuts and raisins separately and keep aside; mix the leftover ghee with cooked rice and garnish with fried cashew nuts and raisins.