How About Some Rich Coconut Rice With Dry Fruits?
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Coconut Rice is good once to satisfy those sweet cravings. Its easy to prepare and can be had as a one bowl meal on days when you may be feeling lazy. It can also be prepared using coconut milk instead of water. And contrary to what some people suggest, coconut rice is nutrient dense – with the presence of dry nuts and ghee in it. For those willing to tweak the recipe to try out another flavour, use brown rice instead of white rice which goes well with Thai, Indian and some of the other South Asian cuisines.

Origin 

It is estimated that coconut fossils date back millions of years ago. Botanists suggest that coconut probably came from India while some others say that they probably originated in the Pacific basin. Irrespective of where the Shriphal (as the coconut is also known) found its roots, it is now established that water holding coconuts (green or yellowish gold ones) hail from Pacific countries like Australia and Indonesia, while the brown fibrous ones have their home in India, Sri Lanka, Lakshadweep and Maldives. The coconut (apart from the banana) is considered the most auspicious offering during religious ceremonies of the Hindus. 

Preparation time: 20 minutes 

Cooking time: 30 minutes 

Servings: 3-4 servings 

Ingredients:

  • 250 gms - basmati rice (washed, cleaned and soaked for 30 minutes)
  • 1 cup – freshly grated coconut 
  • 2 tbsp – ghee (clarified butter)
  • ¾ cup – white sugar
  • 5-6 – cloves
  • 2 one inch – cinnamon pieces
  • ½ tsp - salt
  • 4-5 - green cardamom 
  • pinch of salt 
  • 1 tbsp – shredded almonds
  • 2 tbsp – charoli / chironji / calumpang nuts
  • 1 tbsp – kishmish /raisins
  • 1 tbsp - cashews
  • 4-5 strands of saffron (soaked in lukewarm water for a few minutes)
  • ½ ltr – water 

Method:

  • Wash, clean and soak the long-grained basmati rice for 30 minutes
  • In a deep bottomed pan, keep water for boiling  
  • Once its boiling add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and ½ tsp salt
  • Add the soaked rice (drain the water it was soaked in) into this boiling water 
  • Boil the rice on high flame
  • Drain the rice, set aside 
  • In a wok or deep frying pan, add ghee 
  • Put in 3 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick and 2 roughly crushed cardamoms
  • Add almonds, cashews, chironji and raisins and sauté for a couple of minutes 
  • Add coconut 
  • Add sugar 
  • Add a pinch of salt 
  • Now add the boiled rice to this dry fruit coconut mix
  • Add saffron water and strands to the rice 
  • Mix thoroughly and cook covered for 5- 7 minutes

Serve hot 

Medium chain fatty acids – a certain type of saturated fats, in coconut aid digestion. Dry fruits like almonds, chironji, cardamoms and raisins are known for their health benefits while ghee or clarified butter is a superfood which is great for lubricating your joints and easing that joint pain. Go ahead, try this simple recipe and enjoy it.