Toasted Coconut Rice
NARIYAL-KI CHAVAL
-Recipe from Yamuna mataji
If you have a piece of fresh coconut in your refrigerator, try this
recipe. It is quick, easy and delightful. The rice is cooked with whole
sweet spices, and golden-fried coconut strips are folded in along with
the chaunk (spices cooked in ghee or coconut oil), which adds to the
flavor. Finally, the dish is garnished with more coconut strips. This
is a most attractive rice dish, with a slightly crunchy texture and
faintly sweet, toasty flavor. It can be served on any menu in any
season.
Preparation time (after assembling ingredients): 5 minutes
Cooking time: 25-30 minutes
Serves: 4 or 5
1 cup (95 g) basmati or other long-grain white rice
1 2/3-3 cups (400-480 ml) water
¾ teaspoon (3.5 ml) salt.
1 ½ -inch (4 cm) piece of cinnamon stick
6 whole cloves
3 table spoons (45 ml) ghee or coconut oil
¼ fresh coconut peeled and cut into slices 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick and ½ inch (1.5 cm) long.
1 teaspoon (5 ml) cumin seeds
½ teaspoon (2 ml) black mustard seeds
1. If basmati rice is used, clean, wash, soak and drain as explained on page 4.
2.
Bring the water to a boil in a heavy 1 ½ -quart/liter nonstick
saucepan over high heat. Stir in the rice, salt, cinnamon stick and
cloves. When the boiling resumes, reduce the heat to very low, cover
with a tight-fitting lid and gently simmer without stirring for 20-25
minutes or until the rice is tender and fluffy and the water is
absorbed.
3. Remove from the heat and let the rice
sit, covered for 5 minutes to allow the fragile grains to firm up. In
the meantime, heat the ghee or oil in a small frying pan over moderate
heat. Stir-fry the coconut strips until golden brown. Remove with a
slotted spoon. Toss in the cumin seeds and black mustard seeds and fry
until the mustard seeds turn gray and sputter and pop. Pour this
seasoning into the rice, add two-thirds of the fried coconut, gently
mix and remove the whole cloves and cinnamon stick.
4. Spoon the rice onto a serving platter and garnish with the remaining fried coconut.