Elumichai sadam is one of the variety rices of Tamil Nadu, packed in tiffin boxes, carried on train journeys and offered at temples. It was designed to travel: the lemon and turmeric keep it fresh for hours at room temperature, and it tastes best when it has rested a while and the rice has soaked up the tempering.
Each grain should be separate, bright yellow and glossy, with crunch from roasted peanuts and dals and a clean sourness from the lemon. It is never mushy. Families make it on busy mornings with leftover rice, and it is standard fare for festival days like Aadi Perukku, when several flavoured rices are cooked together.
At a glance
| Region | Tamil Nadu |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Tamil |
| Diet | Vegan |
| Course | Rice |
| Prep time | 10 minutes |
| Cook time | 10 minutes |
| Total time | 20 minutes |
| Serves | 3 |
| Spice level | Mild |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Gluten-free | Yes |
| Key ingredients | rice / lemon / peanuts / green chillies / curry leaves |
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked rice (from 1 cup raw sona masoori or ponni), cooled
- 3 tbsp gingelly or groundnut oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp chana dal
- 1 tsp urad dal
- 3 tbsp raw peanuts
- 2 green chillies, slit
- 1 dry red chilli, broken
- 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste
- juice of 2 lemons (about 4 tbsp)
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
Method
- Spread the cooked rice on a plate so it cools completely and the grains separate. Freshly cooked hot rice breaks and turns pasty.
- Heat oil in a wide kadai on medium heat. Fry the peanuts for 2-3 minutes until they crackle and the skins darken in spots; lift them out and keep aside.
- In the same oil add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add chana dal and urad dal and fry for about 1 minute until golden.
- Add green chillies, red chilli, ginger and curry leaves and fry for 30 seconds until the leaves are crisp.
- Lower the heat, add asafoetida and turmeric, stir for 5 seconds and immediately switch off the heat so the turmeric does not burn.
- Add the salt and lemon juice to the tempering off the heat and stir. Cooking lemon juice makes it bitter.
- Add the rice and peanuts and gently fold with a flat spatula until every grain is evenly yellow. Taste and adjust salt and lemon.
- Mix in coriander and let the rice rest for 15-20 minutes before serving for the flavours to settle.
Tips
- Always add lemon juice off the heat.
- Day-old refrigerated rice works very well; bring it to room temperature first.
- For temple style, skip ginger and add a pinch of fenugreek powder to the tempering.
Serve with
Potato fry, appalam and a cup of curd, or coconut chutney for a lunchbox.