Karuveppilai Sadam (Curry Leaf Rice)

Tamil grandmothers swear by curry leaves for healthy hair and digestion. Here a whole bowlful of fresh leaves is roasted with lentils, pepper and chillies, ground into a powder and mixed into rice with sesame oil – earthy, peppery and very aromatic.

Video by HomeCookingShow on YouTube. Our recipe below is our own home-style version, written in our own words – quantities and steps may differ from the video.

• Serves 3
• Prep 10 min
• Cook 20 min
• Vegan · gluten-free
• Famous in Tamil Nadu

Ingredients

• 200 g rice, cooked and cooled
• For the powder: 2 big handfuls fresh curry leaves (about 40 g), 1 tbsp urad dal, 1 tbsp chana dal, 1 tsp black peppercorns, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 3 dried red chillies, 1 small piece tamarind or ½ tsp tamarind paste, ½ tsp salt
• 3 tbsp sesame oil (gingelly oil)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 tbsp peanuts or cashews
• 1 pinch asafoetida
• ½ tsp salt

Method

1. Dry-roast urad dal, chana dal, pepper, cumin and chillies until golden. Add the curry leaves and roast until crisp and dry.
2. Cool and grind with tamarind and salt to a coarse powder.
3. Heat the sesame oil, add mustard seeds, peanuts and asafoetida and fry until the nuts are golden.
4. Add the rice, salt and 3–4 tbsp of the curry leaf powder. Toss gently until every grain is coated.
5. Serve with potato fry, papad or curd.

Tip: Make extra powder – it keeps for a month in a jar and also tastes great mixed with ghee over idli.

Shop the ingredients

Everything you need for this recipe is in stock at Farmah’s – order online or pick it up at Annenstraße 41, Graz.