Kitchen Tantra

Sesame Rice:

Til Rice/ Til Ka Chaawal/ Ellu Saadham.

This is one of my favourite rice, I learnt from my family friend 'Natha Kumar'......he is a priest at 'Thiru Par Kadal - Shree Ranganathan Temple'. He is one of the amazing man. He is down to earth.....He is a friendly person, never holds his priestly 'bandha' to be. I too take advantage and call him in singular. He is a real good wonderful cook I have ever met. I learnt most of the 'Iyengar Style Recipe' from him.

He feels free, to come home and assist my Mom. When I was studying in school, he used to pack my lunch box with this magic food 'Ellu Saadham'. I know, its a simple rice recipe....even then. My whole lunch box will be 'Swaaha' in one minute......in the school bus itself. All my friends are crazy too for this rice.

I dont know.......its kind of aunthentic for few 'Hindus' I guess!. This particular dish is cooked on some particular day....which is the favourite day of 'Sani/Saturn Bahawan'. It seems this is his favourite food or so! Well.......Hindus! if you feel odd in trying this recipe on normal days.....its up to you.

I dont know.....why people hold their 'religion' so tight. It should be like personal affair. But almost most of them. Walk like hindus' sit like hindus' have food like hindus. Avaid some food, avoid some foods on some days or include some foods on some days. Anyways....it sounds crazy for me. All I feel is......just because some food are got/available in those days only on few seasons. So.....it became a custom to have it only on some month, so they made it auspicious....or tried to have a complex custom......so that to avoid demand in the ethnic group. Dont you think I have a point here. So.....why dont you grab your fork and dig in the dish whenever you want now. Coz we have revolutinized everything.

Ingredients:

Choose any long grained rice(basmathi) or small grained rice (seeraga samba)

To be roasted and powdered:
Black or Brown Sesame 1 cup
Chenna dal 1 spoon
Urad dal 1 spoon
Dry red chilies 4-6

Roast the above said ingredients each separately. Powder them either together or separately. One can add little salt to this powder.

For seasoning:
Ghee or gingeli/sesame oil 1 cup
Mustard seeds 1 spoon
Cumin seeds 1 spoon
Chenna dal 1 spoon
Urad dal 1 spoon
Dry red chilies 6-8 numbers
Curry leaves
Whole black pepper 1 spoon
Sesame seeds 1 spoon
Cashew nuts 10-12 numbers

In a pan heat oil or ghee and add all the above ingredients until they pop and fried well.

Method:

1. Cook rice along with salt and a spoon full of oil. Make sure to get stiff and separated rice.

2. Mix the powder and seasoning items to rice and add little ghee once again.

Labels: Main Dish - Rice