Simple Coconut rice (Thengai Saadam)

Coconut rice is my all time lunch box favorite. All you need is potato chips to go with it :) Or you could just have it when you want to eat something light and flavorful.

 Ingredients:

• Rice - Cook 2 cups of rice. (Use Basmathi rice or Raw rice for more flavor) 
• Coconut : 1/2, coarsely ground. (Use a Blender/ mixer grinder and grind it without adding water.)
• Salt - To taste
• Oil - 1 tblspn (use edible coconut oil, if you have it)
• Mustard seeeds - 1 tsp
• Urad dal (Ulunthu) -1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Gram dal (Kadalai Paruppu) - 1/2 Tsp
• Cashew nuts - 3-4 chopped (optional)
• Ginger - 1/4 inch, finely chopped.
• Curry leaves - 1 strand.
• Dry red chillis - 2.

Steps:

• Cook rice like you usually do and let it cool. (Let the rice be firm not mushy). Gently fluff the rice so they are not sticking to each other.
• In a pan, add oil, once hot, add mustard seeds. Let it crackle. Then add cumin seeds, Urad dal, gram dal, ginger, curry leaves, chilli and cashew nuts and keep sauteing (Everything else, except the coconut and rice). You dont want the cashews to burn, but slightly change color.
• Once the cashew changes color, add 1/2 tsp salt. Lower the temperature a little and add the coarsely ground coconut, keep sauteing till all the coconut it covered in oil and the raw smell is gone.
• Turn off the stove and add the rice. Gently stir so the coconut mixture and rice blend together. 
• Taste and sprinkle more salt and stir again.
•  Your done! :)