Meena's Taste Mantra

Curry Leaf Rice - A flavoured rice made with an herb that is a coolant in Summers!

Karuvepallai | Kadhi Patta | Curry Leaf is a herb with many health benefits. In Summers this is a natural coolant to the body. We always have Sambaram ready at home and apart from that we try to make many recipes where the star of the recipe is Curry Leaf, the most recent being Curry Leaf Kozhumbu.

One such recipe is this delicious and heavenly aromatic Curry Leaf Rice. Simply tasty, easy to make. We can make the powder in advance and use when needed...so this flavoured rice can be made even faster!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Basmati Rice | 200 gms

To taste, Salt

For Tempering

1 tsp Oil
1 tsp Homemade Ghee | Clarified Butter

1/2 tsp Rai | Mustard Seeds

10 Cashew Nuts, halved

1 Sprig Kadhi Patta | Curry Leaves
For Curry Leaves Powder

A. Small marble size Imli | Tamarind

B. For Roasting

1 cup Kadhi Patta | Curry Leaves, tightly packed
1 tsp Oil, for roasting curry leaves

1 tsp Black Pepper

1 tblsp Urad Dal

1/4 tsp Methi | Fenugreek Seeds

2 1/2 tblsp Dhania | Coriander Seeds

1 tblsp Chutney Dal | Fried Gram

2 tblsp Channa Dal

4 Sukhi Lal Mirch | Dried Red Chilli
1 tsp Sesame Oil

METHOD

Wash and soak basmati rice in 2 cups of water for 30 minutes. In a non stick pan, transfer soaked rice along with water. Once water comes to a boil, reduce flame to low and cover cook till rice is done. Mix after 3 minutes, cover cook again. It takes approximately 5 minutes for the rice to be cooked. Once cooked, transfer to a wide plate and spread and fluff the rice.
For Curry Leaves Powder

Wash curry leaves and let them dry on kitchen towel.
Once completely dried, in small batches adding half teaspoon of oil for each batch, roast the curry leaves till they become crisp. Take care the curry leaves do not burn. Keep the roasted curry leaves aside. We roasted 1 cup curry leaves in 2 batches using 1/2 tsp oil for each batch.
In a frying pan, heat oil and roast all the ingredients mentioned for roasting, till the dals change to a golden colour. Saute continuously to ensure they do not get burnt.
Transfer to a plate and let them cool.
Once cool grind the roasted ingredients, roasted curry leaves along with imli to a powder. Keep the Masala Powder aside.

In the same frying pan, heat oil, ghee and temper rai, cashew and curry leaves.
Once rai splutters, add cooked basmati rice, Masala Powder and salt. Mix well.
Switch off the gas and fluff the rice.
Serve hot with any Dal | Kadhi and roasted papad.

We enjoyed Curry Leaf Rice along with Onion Tomato Kadhi and Punjabi Masala Roasted Papad.

We have used:

1. India Gate Basmati Rice - Classic

2. Til Sona Sesame Oil

3. Tata Salt Lite

About C R Meena

(c) 2014 - 2016, Meena's Taste Mantra is the result of my ardent desire to share my recipes, with all who appreciate and celebrate food. These recipes are as a result of 60 years of cooking experience, influenced by tradition and exposure to various concepts, new recipes/ingredients and a passion for cooking - adapting to healthier alternatives.