Sunday, July 25, 2010

Coconut Rice / Thenga Chor

Thenga Chor or Coconut Rice has a lot of variations from region to region. I have seen ones with grated coconut, with coconut milk, ones which are seasoned with mustard, and lots more. The one I have here, I am assuming, is a Southern Tamil Nadu version as my MIL is the one who introduced me to this. This is a highly flavorful rice with the addition of cinnamon and fenugreek. This is one dish that you could make for a special occasion like you make a biryani or ghee rice and serve with a spicy meat curry like Chicken Curry or Mutton Curry, preferably a Nadan (Traditional) style curry or a spicy vegetable curry.


Serves 5-6 people
Refined Oil or Coconut Oil - 2 tbsp
Shallots- 15-20
Green Chilly- 2
Ginger Garlic Paste- 2 tbsp 
Coconut Milk- 1/2 cup (thick)
Water- 3 1/2 cup 
Cinnamon- 2 - 1" piece 
Fenugreek- 1 tsp
Jeera Rice - 2 cups 
Salt- to taste 

1.  Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes. You could also use Basmati rice or Sona Masoori rice.
2. In a mixer grind the shallots and green chilly with very little water into a coarse paste.
3. Heat oil in a pan big enough for making the rice. I used coconut oil to give it that added flavor.
4. Add the shallot-green chilly paste and ginger garlic paste to the oil and saute until the raw smell is gone and the mixture is almost dry. Don't let it brown.
5. Add coconut milk and water to the pan and add salt to taste.
6. Add Cinnamon and fenugreek to the water and let it boil.
7. Add the drained rice to the boiling water.
8. Stir it in between and when the water is almost gone, turn off the stove. Rice may not be completely done at this point, it may be a little over 3/4 done.
9. Close the pan with a tight lid and keep it closed for 30 minutes.
10. After 30 minutes, the rice will be ready to serve with each grain separated out.


The special fragrance and taste that fenugreek adds to the rice is unbelievable considering that it is an ingredient with a slightly bitter taste; rest assured that you will not get any feel of that bitterness in this rice.

41 comments:

  1. This goes well with Spicy mutton curry... ente friend nte veettil ninnum kazhichittunde.. If I remember right, his mom explained me the same recipe.. But I ve never tried yet..

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  2. I have been wanting 2 make this but haven't found the perfect recipe so far.. this looks great, will try it let you know.. btw thanx 4 dropping by my blog and the lovely words dear.. do keep in touch :)

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  3. Oh! how tempting! Loved that prep..very scrumptious for sure.... :)

    Ash...
    (http://asha-oceanichope.blogspot.com/)

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  4. Dear Fathima...tis is such a humble dish yet a fav among many. I never used fenugreek...will try next time and so rightly u said at last de bitter taste will overtake of which m sure.

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  5. Wow!!!!! This is my favorite rice goes will with tomato chutney:)

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  6. simple and flavorful rice...nice to go with spicy gravy.
    Deepa
    Hamaree Rasoi

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  7. Wow!!! i love this rice goes well with tomato chutney:)

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  8. Beautiful coconut rice, love with some chicken curry..yumm!!

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  9. This dish looks so droolworthy...delicious rice recipe da.
    you are most welcome to my space.

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  10. it used to b a common lunch item whn we were in chennai...i had an amazing helper who used to cook so well n she used to make this ...fond memories

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  11. I am surprised at the amount of fenugreek but this is also used in combination with coconut milk for fish-curries. Do you use the whole seeds of the crushed ones?

    It is always interesting to note that in the veg.cuisine of our place, cooked rice is used plain but dishes made with rice powder are plentiful.

    Thanks for sharing the recipe!

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  12. wow thats so delicious.. coconut rice and rasam is one of the best combination.. really liked the presentation.. good one fathi

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  13. Lovely and delicious rice..love this with spicy chicken curry..adipoli.

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  14. I love this Fathima..During my UG days, used to eat this a lot from my friend's lunch box..Looks delicious..Am def gonna try this soon...

    Love
    Suji

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  15. wow lovely coconut rice ..looks so delicious n inviting ...love it

    Satya
    http://www.superyummyrecipes.com

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  16. Coconut rice looks so good..Nice presentation...

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  17. i love coconut rice...looks so delicious..perfect with some hot curry!!

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  18. Beautiful presentation as always! nannayittundu!

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  19. looks great..love the presentation..

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  20. This is my fav too...I could have this without any side dishes...yummmm

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  21. My fav dish.. looks inviting dear.. wonderful presentation !!

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  22. coconut rice adipolli ayittundsu keto..oru padu ayi kazhichittu............pandu amma undakki tharumayirunnu...

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  23. Hi. Love the add of fenugreek and surely best with any spicy curry.

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  24. wow..luks deliicous.. m y all time fav coconut rice
    ..happy to find ur blog...u have a good collection of recipes.. if u find time do visit my space ...happy to follow ur blog

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  25. Thats a really tempting thenga chor..Would love to have it with spicy mutton/ chicken curry..Superb clicks, Fathima..

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  26. Flavorful coconut milk rice, very simple to prepare too......

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  27. Hi Dear,
    There is an award waiting for you in my space..please collect
    Love
    Suja

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  28. hey first time here !! You have a great blog !!! love kerala recipes :) Following u !!

    Lavanya

    www.lavsblog.com

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  29. Delicious Thenga Choru. Its my favourite and would like to have hot with malabar chicken curry.

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  30. Hi fathima...hope u r doing fine :) I missed many of your posts, with try to catch up soon.The rice looks so welcoming and loaded with the flavors of coconut..too good.

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  31. Lovely presentation Fathima.mmm inviting and deluctable coconut rice...
    Do visit mine sometime

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  32. Wow...that looks good fathima..loved the second picture much. I too make coconut rice, but its entirely different though:)

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  33. Ohh...I used to have this wen I was in Kerala....This seemed for me to be a hi-Calorie dish which was a gudd reason for a long siesta.....!

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  34. Tried this today and came out great . Had with some spicy orange chicken .Thanks for the wonderful recipe.

    Preetha

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  35. Preetha, so happy to hear that you tried it out and liked it :-)

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  36. i make it it very super i lke it very well

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