Thengaipal Sadham ( Coconut Milk Rice)

From my mom's kitchen.

Ingredients

Basmati Rice 2 cups

Coconut One medium size

Garlic 1 no

Onion 3 nos

Green Chilli 4 nos

Cinnamon 2 small sticks

Cloves 4 nos

Cardamom  2 nos

Bay leaf 1 nos

Cashew nuts about  10-15 nos

Oil 3-4 Tbsp

Ghee 2 tbsp

Salt to Taste

Prep

Extract coconut milk by grinding coconut such that you get 4 cups out of it. First use one cup of water to grind and extract. Subsequently add one cup water at a time and squeeze out the milk. Alternatively, one could use store bought coconut milk. Consistency should be that of milk, not to thick not to thin

Onions to be sliced thinly and garlic pods should be peeled.  Soak the rice for 15 mins

Process

Heat Oil and ghee together in a pressure cooker, add all the spices (bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom) let it cook add cashew nuts and cook until it turns light golden. Now add Onions, garlic and whole green chillies ( stalks removed) and sauté until the onions turn translucent. Now add the extracted coconut milk (4 cups)  with salt. Cook further until the milk starts to froth ensure that it doesn’t boil (risk of splitting). Now add the rice by straining water completely. Cover and wait for 2 whistles before turning off the stove.  Cool the cooker immediately and open to check that it hasn’t caught the bottom.

Serve Hot with Mutton Kurma, Spicy chicken gravy, Hot Pudhina Chutney, Veg Kurma, Koftha Curry or Raitha ( Potato, tomato, onions, green chilly)