By Ujjainee Roy
April 22, 2024
This summer, it's best to opt for light, nourishing rice dishes which are filling but don't rely on oil or too many spices. India's regional rice dishes are some of the most summer-friendly and digestible options which can be consumed year-round. Let's have a look at some of them.
Karnataka's Vangi Bath is a fragrant and flavorful rice dish featuring spicy eggplant masala mixed with cooked rice. It also has a blend of South Indian spices like mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, and curry leaves. It's not just filling and flavourful but also quite cooling.
Chitrannam is made by combining cooked rice with a variety of tangy and spicy flavorings, such as lemon juice, tamarind paste, grated coconut, and a special spice mix called "chintapandu pulusu podi." The addition of leaves and nuts helps one keep their energies up during summers.
Panta Bhat is a fermented Bengali rice dish made with soaked rice, which is widely consumed across rural and agrarian communities especially during summers. It's usually served with a fried fish or onions.
This curd rice is a cooling and comforting dish from South India; cooked rice is mixed with fresh yogurt seasoned with mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chilies, and ginger, and then tempered with a tadka (tempering) of spices like mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and asafoetida.
Lemon rice is popular in quite a few South Indian states. The tangy and aromatic rice dish is perfect for summer picnics and gatherings. Cooked rice is flavored with a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, dried red chilies, peanuts, and turmeric, giving it a vibrant yellow color.
Puliyogare is a tamarind rice, made with a special spice mix called "puliyogare gojju," which is made from tamarind, jaggery, roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, and a blend of South Indian spices. It is often served as a prasadam in temples and is also a popular travel snack.