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Karuveppilai sadam (curry leaf rice)
Karuveppilai sadam (கறிவேப்பிலை சாதம்): rice tossed with a roasted curry leaf, dal and black pepper powder
Around Madurai and Tiruchirappalli this dark, peppery rice comes out when there is a big handful of curry leaves and very little else in the kitchen, and it keeps so well that it goes into lunch boxes and onto long bus journeys. The leaves are roasted until crisp with chana and urad dal, black pepper, cumin and red chilli, then ground into a fragrant podi. The common mistake is roasting wet leaves: they steam instead of crisp, and the powder clumps. Dry them well on a towel first. Chef's tip: grind a double batch of the podi and store it airtight; it keeps for two weeks and makes lunch in five minutes.
- Total time
- 23 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
For the podi
- 1 ⅜ oz fresh curry leavesabout 2 cups, washed and patted completely dry
- 1 tbsp chana dal
- 1 tbsp urad dal
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp tamarind paste
- ¾ tsp salt
For the rice
- 1 ⅓ lb cooked white ricecooled
- 2 tbsp sesame oil (gingelly)
- ½ tsp black mustard seeds
- 2 tbsp raw peanuts
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Roast 1 tbsp chana dal, 1 tbsp urad dal, 1 tsp black peppercorns, ½ tsp cumin seeds and 2 dried red chillies in a dry pan over a medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes until the dals are golden. Tip onto a plate.
4 minStep 2: Add 1 ⅜ oz fresh curry leaves to the pan and roast over a low heat, stirring, for 4–5 minutes until they are crisp and crumble when pressed but still green.
5 minStep 3: Cool, then grind everything with ½ tsp tamarind paste and ¾ tsp salt to a fine, slightly damp powder.
3 minStep 4: Heat 2 tbsp sesame oil (gingelly) in a wide pan over a medium heat. Add ½ tsp black mustard seeds and let it crackle, then 2 tbsp raw peanuts and fry until they blister and brown, about 2 minutes.
2 minStep 5: Add 1 ⅓ lb cooked white rice and about 4 tablespoons of the podi, and fold over a low heat for 2–3 minutes until the rice is evenly dark green-brown. Add more podi to taste.
3 minStep 6: Cool on a plate before packing; chill if made ahead and pack with an ice pack.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does karuveppilai sadam (curry leaf rice) take?
- About 23 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 18 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of fresh curry leaves?
- Leave them out, or add a strip of lime zest (there's no true substitute).
- What can I use instead of black peppercorns?
- Ground black pepper, a little less than the amount.
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