Karuveppilai Saadam

This is the rice I cooked following Southern Falvours. The rice was very flavourful and my daughter liked it. She took it in her lunch box to school. This recipe is very easy to prepare and perfect for lunch boxes.

Ingredients:
Rice-1 1/2cups (I used Karnataka Ponni)
Turmeric Powder-1/4tsp
Salt-to taste
For The Spice Paste:
Curry Leaves-1cup(tightly packed)
Oil-1tbs
Urad Dhal-2tbs
Hing/ Asafoetida-1/2tsp
Coriander Seeds-1tsp
Methi Seeds-1/4tsp
Pepper-1tsp
Dry Red Chillies-3-4
Tamarind-a small marble sized ball
Tempering:
Ghee-2tbs
Mustard Seeds-1tsp
Urad Dhal-1tsp
Cumin Seeds-1/2tsp
Dry Red Chilly-1(halved)


Procedure:
1. Cook rice and fluff it with a fork and allow it to cool.
2. Heat a pan and dry roast curry leaves till fragrant. Keep it aside to cool.
3. Add the oil and add all the ingredients for the spice paste except tamarind and saute till golden.
4. Transfer to a mixer jar.
5. Roast the tamarind on medium flame for 1 minute and add it to the other ingredients in the jar.
6. Pulse it until it turns into a coarse mixture.
7. Add the curry leaves and add little water and grind it to a fine paste.
8. Heat ghee and add the tempering ingredients. When they splutter add spice paste along with salt and turmeric powder.
9. Saute for a minute. Remove from flame.
10. Add the cooked rice and mix it gently.
11. Serve it with coconut chutney or papad.