Coconut milk rice

I am very sure this is a well known dish to many. But posting it just to recollect my favorite rice recipe.
I got introduced to this coconut milk rice from my mom's friend, Mrs.Noohu. She lived in another town called kayalpattinam (TN, India), some miles away from my dad's house. Mom told me that , the aunt used to stay with and comfort my mom when she conceived us. During Ramzan and other other festival days she would not be able to travel so far to share her amazing dishes. So whenever she visits us, she would love to cook /teach so many fabulous dishes for my mom. Mom took note of those recipes and preserved them as treasure. The following rice is also one among them.
We call it as 'thengai paal choru ' that means 'rice cooked in Coconut milk'. Just like the ghee rice, they serve it along with any spicy non veg curry during the special occasions.
Here goes the recipe for the 'Thengai paal choru'.



Thengai paal choru/ coconut milk rice/ Thangai pal saatham

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice / Jeeraga samba unboiled rice - 2 cup
Shredded coconut - 1 cup
(or) canned thick coconut milk - 1/2 cup
water - 3 cups
water measurement for open vessel cooking and rice cooker :(number of cups of rice x 2) - 1 = (2x2)-1 = 3
Onion- 1 (or) Shallot - 10
cloves - 2
cardamom - 1
cinnamon - 1 inch
Bay leaf - 2
cashew nut - a handful or more
oil - 1 tbsp
ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp

Method:
Step 1:
Measure the rice using a cup. Wash and clean it. Drain water and keep aside for 30 minutes.

Step 2:
Measure water using the same cup.  Use this water to extract milk from shredded coconut.

Step 3:
Take a big vessel with lid.
Heat it with a tbsp of oil / ghee. Roast the soaked rice till it becomes fragrant (not red). Add the coconut milk and bring to boil .
Add 1/2 tsp salt for every cup of rice and swich off flame.

Step 4:
Chop the onion into thin long slices
In the mean time, heat ghee in a wok.
Fry the bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon and cardamon .
Then add the cashews and fry them to golden color.
Put the chopped onion and saute them to golden color.
Then add the ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes.
Care should be taken, not to char the mixture.
(otherwise we cannot get a white rice in the end)

Step 6:
Add the fried items to the rice . Cook in very low flame till all the water gets absorbed.
Switch off flame.
Garnish with a handful of chopped cilantro and mint leaves.
Coconut milk rice is ready!

Note:
The rice grains may seem sticky at first .But after an hour of settling time, the oil in the coconut milk will make the grains remain separate and we will get a perfect thengai paal satham.

Serving suggestions:
The above said quantity will be comfortably enough for 3-4 people, as we feel very full to have the rice cooked in coconut milk.
Serve hot with any vegetarian or non vegetarian spicy curries.

Alternate method:
Bring water to boil. The quantity of the water should be more than that required to immerse the rice. Add the rice , salt and coconut milk. Cook till the rice gets cooked 90% . Drain the water and garnish like the above said way.

Turkey curry (vaan Kozhli kulambu)

Main Ingredient:
Turkey thighs - 2 lb

To temper:
Onion - 1 (big)
curry leaf - 1 brig
cilantro , mint leaf - a handful
tomato - 2
fennel seeds - 1 tsp

To grind :
Paste 1.
fresh / dry Ginger - 2 inch
garlic - 4 pods

Paste 2.
shredded coconut - 2 tbsp
poppy seeds - 1 tsp
cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
cinnamon - 1 inch
cardamom - 2
cloves - 4
fennel seeds - 1 tsp
black pepper - 1 tsp

others:
chilly powder - 1tsp
coriander powder - 2 tbsp
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Method:
Step 1:
Choose Turkey thighs for making a kulambu / gravy. Drumsticks and boneless meat do not taste that good for this preparation.
Wash and clean the turkey . Chop it into big chunks. If possible break the bone into two, so that the curry becomes more soupy.
Place it in a pressure pan.Add water just to immerse the meat.
Add turmeric powder, chilly powder and coriander powder.
Pressure cook it for 1 whistle, then reduce flame and keep it in low flame for 5 minutes.

Step 2:
Remove the skin of ginger and garlic and grind them to a fine paste.
(If dry ginger is used, soak it 1 for hour before grinding.) Keep aside.
Separately grind the other items given to grind in 2. keep aside.

Step 3:
Heat oil in a wok. Add fennel seeds. After it becomes red, add the chopped onion and fry well till it becomes golden brown.
Then add the chopped tomatoes and cook till it becomes mushy.
Now add the ginger garlic paste and fry well.
Then add the cooked turkey pieces along with its soup (water added becomes a soupy liquid).

Step 4:
Now add the Paste 2. Add all the powders mentioned above.
Let it boil till the raw smell vanishes. Check for salt and turn off heat.

Serving suggestions:
Serve hot with roti, chapathi or cooked rice.