Easy Coconut Rice Recipe | Thengai Sadam - Cook with Kushi (2024)

Coconut rice is a healthy, easy-to-make, flavorful rice dish prepared using grated coconut, aromatic spices, and rice. This rice recipe is vegan, and dairy-free. If you have leftover rice, you can make this rice recipe in less than 10 minutes.

Don't miss to check out traditional lemon rice (chitranna), temple style ghee rice or South Indian curd rice.

About the recipe

Coconut rice is made using simple ingredients like freshly grated coconut flakes and cooked rice and tempered with spices like chilies, ginger, hing, and cashews which makes this rice unique and nutty flavorful. In South India, kobbari annam is prepared at temples and offered in the form of prasadam and at home during festivals like Navratri and special occasions.

As the name suggests, the key ingredient here is coconut (nariyal, kayi, or thengai). It is believed that the Goddess Lakshmi blesses devotees with health and prosperity and fulfills all their wishes when offered coconut or bhog prepared with coconut. You can check the significance of 9 days of Navratri and food recipes here.

This rice is also called nariyal chawal in North India, kobbari annam in Andhra Pradesh, thengai sadam in Tamil Nadu, kayi anna in Karnataka, thenga choru in Kerala.

We like to have this for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even for lunchbox. Since it tastes good when served warm or at room temperature, it is one of the best rice recipes for your long travels, potlucks, and picnics.

There are variations in which this rice is made. Some use coconut flakes, while others use coconut milk to make the rice. You can also check my recipe for rice cooked in coconut milk in a pressure cooker. Another special recipe made with new rice during Navratri in coastal regions.

Thai coconut rice vs Indian coconut rice

Thai coconut rice, also known as "khao man gai" "coconut milk rice" or "khao mok gai," is a popular dish in Thailand made by cooking Thai jasmine rice with coconut milk, which gives it a creamy and rich texture. This rice is flavored with aromatic ingredients like lemongrass, ginger, and kaffir lime leaves.

Indian coconut rice, also known as "thengai sadam" "kobbari annam" or "nariyal chawal," is a South Indian dish made by tossing cooked basmati rice with grated coconut and traditional Indian tempering or tadka with spices.

Both are delicious coconut rice-based dishes that are worth trying.

Ingredients

Rice: Long-grain basmati rice works best. Feel free to use any flavorful rice or even leftover cooked rice. See that the rice is fluffy and not mushy.

Coconut: Traditional rice recipe uses freshly grated coconut. You can use dry coconut flakes or frozen ones too.

Tempering or tadka: Use coconut oil for tempering to get the coastal flavors. Other ingredients are mustard and cumin seeds, hing, curry leaves, urad dal, chana dal, cashews, ginger, red chili, and green chili.

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Step by step instructions

Step 1: You can cook the rice in a pot, pressure cooker, or instant pot. Any preferred method of your choice. See that the rice is fluffy and not mushy.

Step 2: Heat oil in a pan. To this, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves and let they start to splutter.

Step 3: When they start to splutter, add urad dal and chana dal and saute until it becomes golden in color.

Step 4: Next, add cashews, green chili, red chili, ginger, and hing, and saute for a minute or until cashews turn light golden.

Step 5: Add the coconut and saute on low flame till the coconut turns light golden in color may, be for 1 or 2 minutes. This brings out a nutty flavor in the coconut.(Traditionally, coconut is added, and the next step is done. I do it for its nutty flavor)

See Also

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Step 6: Add cooked rice, coriander leaves, and salt and toss until everything is combined.

Step 7: Serve this rice with raita, yogurt, pickle, or any Indian curry of your choice likeauthentic kurma,chicken curry.

Tips

• Adjust theamount of coconutand tempering to your liking.
• You canadd salt while cooking rice or later while adding riceto the tempering.
• To make thisgluten-free,simply skip the asafoetida or hing.
• For a moreintense rice flavor,you can also cook the rice in coconut milk if desired.
• Forcoastal flavors, temper with coconut oil.

Storage Suggestions

You can store any leftover rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for two days. Just sprinkle water and reheat it in the microwave or a pan before serving.

If you want to store this coconut white rice for a longer period, you can freeze it in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw and reheat when serving.

Recipe FAQS

More South Indian Rice Recipes

South Indian rice dishes are easy and quick to make, and the flavor comes from the combination of tempering or tadka you add. You actually don't need any measurements. Add them, especially nuts and chilies, to your liking. If you are a bachelor or beginner, you should try cooking South Indian rice recipes first because they are very simple. These rice recipes also make a very good lunchbox recipe.

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Recipe card

This Indian rice (nariyal chawal or thengai sadam) was first published in Sep 2019. Updated with step-by-step pictures and more details.