Thengai Thovayal || தேங்காய் துவையல்

Thengai Thovayal || தேங்காய் துவையல்

What's the difference between thovayal and chutney...I am curious too.  From where I grow up from...thovayal is a side dish for rice so basically lunch and which also means normally it will be vegetarian.  As for chutneys, we get with our dosas and idlis.  

Thovayal is always thicker and my mum would always ball them like you see in picture below.  Chutneys are more liquid (although I make them a little)

Ingredients

1/4 cup of grated coconuts

4-5 of dried chillies

2 tbs of urad dhall

1 tbs of channa dhall

salt to season

a small pinch of tamarind.

oil for roasting

Method

1.  In a pan, heat some oil and once it is hot, fry the urad dhall, dried chillies and channa dhalltill the urad dhall is golden in colour on a medium heat. Set aside

2.  In the same pan, light fry the grated coconut for 1 - 2 mins.  Careful not to burnt them and set aside to cool down.

3.  Once cool down, in a grinder, grind the coconut and tempering ingredients, with some salt and tamarind with a little water.  Grind it well till is smooth.

4.  Serve it with rice, rasam or sambar and some pappad and pickle.

Thengai Sadam || Coconut Rice || தேங்காய் சாதம்

What else can you do with rice that is simple and quick besides fried rice.  Today I made Thengai Sadam, ie loosely translated Coconut Rice @ தேங்காய் சாதம்.

This is one of the many rice varieties that you can prepare.  It is simple and quick.  The sweetness from the freshly grated coconut, the crunchiness that you get from the cashew nuts and channa dhal (split bengal gram) and the little heat of the green chillies is awesome.  I pair the rice with some homemade beetroot chips and onion raita.  Honestly it is good as it is, no side dish is required.

Tips

Try using freshly grated coconut to get the best of this dish.

I also used coconut oil for tempering though you may use any vegetable oil if you wish.  

I used left over parboiled rice.  You can also use long grain rice.  Be sure to cool down and loosen the grains so that it does not clump together.  

Dont skip the ginger as they give a nice aroma.  Try those young ginger.  

Thengai Sadam||Coconut Rice ||தேங்காய் சாதம்.

Servings : 2 -3 persons

Ingredients

1 cup of freshly grated coconut

1.5 bowl of  cooked rice

3/4tsp of mustard seeeds

2 tsp of channa dhal (split bengal gram)

1 tsp of urad dhall

1 sprig of curry leaves

2 green chilly - adjust to your heat requirement

10-12 cashew nuts - halved - adjust to your requirement

1 tsp of sliced ginger

3 tbs of coconut oil

Method

 

1.  Heat a wok or pan and coconut oil on a medium fire.

2.  Once the coconut oil and add mustard seeds,channa dhal and urad dhall.  

3.  Mix for a few minutes. Add in curry leaves, ginger, cashew and chilly.

4.  Keep stirring for about 3-4 mins ensuring not to burnt the any.

5.  Add in fresh coconut, mix well and stir every now.  Dont let the coconut turn colour or burnt.

6.  Add in the rice, mix well and salt to taste.

7.  Coconut rice is ready to be served with raita or chips.  Serve warm.

Thengai Sadam with onion raita