🥥 Coconut Rice

South Indian Thengai Sadham

Spice Level: 🌶️ Mild
Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 10 mins | Serves: 3–4
Calories (approx): 320 kcal

🍛 One Pot, Thousand Stories

🌿 Introduction

Coconut rice is quiet comfort — soft grains carrying the gentle sweetness of fresh coconut,
warmed with mustard seeds and curry leaves.
It’s the kind of dish that belongs equally in lunchboxes, temple offerings, and unhurried home meals.

“Some dishes don’t announce themselves — they simply stay.”

Coconut Rice

Photo by Stirred By Spice

📝 Ingredients

Main Base

  • Cooked rice – 3 cups (cooled, fluffy)

  • Fresh grated coconut – 1 cup

Tempering

  • Coconut oil – 2 tbsp

  • Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

  • Urad dal – 1 tsp

  • Chana dal – 1 tbsp

  • Dried red chilies – 2, broken

  • Green chili – 1, slit (optional)

  • Curry leaves – 10–12

  • Cashews or peanuts – 2 tbsp

Seasoning

  • Salt – to taste

🍽️ Instructions

  • Warm the Oil – Heat coconut oil in a wide pan on medium heat.

  • Crackle & Bloom – Add mustard seeds; once they pop, add urad dal and chana dal. Roast till golden.

  • Build Aroma – Add red chilies, green chili, curry leaves, and nuts. Sauté until fragrant.

  • Fold Gently – Add grated coconut and salt. Stir for 1–2 minutes on low heat.

  • Combine Rice – Add cooked rice. Gently fold until evenly coated. Turn off heat.

🍷 Optional Serving Notes

Serve with simple papad, pickle, or curd

Perfect alongside sambar or rasam for a fuller meal

💬 Soulful Note

Coconut rice often appears without ceremony — a quiet constant after festivals, poojas, and long journeys.

It reminds us that nourishment doesn’t need complexity.

📚 Cook’s Wisdom / FAQs

📚Cook's Wisdom:

  • Can I use frozen coconut?
    Yes — thaw fully and squeeze excess moisture.

  • Why cooled rice?
    Prevents clumping and keeps grains distinct.

  • Temple-style version?
    Skip onions and keep chilies minimal.

📊 Nutrition (Per Serving — Approx.)

  • Calories 320

  • Protein 6g

  • Carbs 48g

  • Fat 12g

  • Fiber 4g

🍃🌶🍃 The Bottom Line

Coconut rice is grace on a plate — gentle, dependable, and deeply rooted in everyday ritual.

🧡 Meet the Heart Behind the Spice

Maya Shetty – Stirred By Spice Author Photo

Hi, I’m Maya Shetty — cook, storyteller, and spice lover.

Through Stirred By Spice, I share recipes that warm both the kitchen and the heart — where simple ingredients and warm flavors turn everyday meals into moments of connection.

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