Welcome to the second week of the month long mega blogging marathon on biryani and pulao. I am trying to feature a biryani or pulao from various states in India during this month and today I come with a Goan rice. This was supposed to be posted on last Saturday, but I misplaced the images and was searching for them for two days. Yes, I know it sounds crazy, but being a food blogger for nearly 9 years, I tend to do this a lot. Now coming back to the recipe of the day, this is from one of my fav person’s blog. Archana blogs at The Mad Scientist’s Kitchen , is such a wonderful lady and I feel lucky to have met her in person. When I wanted a rice from Goa, I checked her site as she has so many authentic recipes. This masala bhath caught my attention because of the fresh spice powder made. I had this recipe bookmarked and this was one recipe which was made at the end of April. Archana used gherkins for the rice, but I used mushrooms. And I also used my rice cooker to make the bhath. You can choose any method of cooking, but calculate the water content accordingly.
The spice powder has kopra in it, which is impossible to get here in Madurai. I usually leave a fresh coconut in fridge until all the moisture is removed and I can safely call it as kopra. But I didn’t do that this time and I was not sure whether I could make it in the little time left. Then when I visited a super market, I found some grated dried coconut and brought home that small pack. The flavour was so like kopra and so I decided to use it in the recipe. Once the bhath is done, I smelled it and was taken back to my college days. The flavour of the spice powder somehow reminded me of Mysore. I was in two minds whether to taste it or not, but Sruti compelled me in tasting a spoon. It was so good. The garnish of kopra and cashews gave the rice a fantastic flavour and crunch. And the best thing is Sruti loved it. I am planning this rice again during her vacation. May be I can calculate the calories and sneak it into my food.
Recipe Source: Archana
Ingredients:
For The Spice Powder:
Grated Copra – 2 tbs
White Sesame Seeds – 1 tbs
Coriander Seeds – 2 tsp
Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp
Clove – 3
Cinnamon – a small stick
For The Rice:
Basmati Rice – 1 cup
Salt – to taste
Water – 2 1/2 cups
Oil – 2 tbs
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Hing – a pinch
Mushroom – 100 gm
Green Chillies – 2-3
Red Chilly Powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
Fresh Coconut and Coriander Leaves for garnish
Cashew Nuts – 1 tbs, roasted
Procedure:
Wash and soak rice for 30 minutes.
Dry roast all the spice powder ingredients until slightly browned.
Powder it in the mixer grinder and keep it aside.
In a pan heat oil, add mustard and hing and once they crackle, add in the mushrooms and slit green chillies.
Saute for a few minutes and remove from stove.
In the pan of the rice cooker, add drained rice, water, salt, red chilly powder, sauteed mushrooms and green chillies, turmeric powder and switch on the stove.
Keep stirring at regular intervals and wait until the cooker goes to warm.
Let it sit at this stage for 10 minutes.
Slightly fluff the rice with a fork, garnish with roasted cashew, coconut and coriander leaves and serve hot.
Recipes so far in this festival
Kaju Pulao from Andhra Pradesh
Kharzi Pulao from Arunachal Pradesh
Masala Bhat Recipe
Ingredients
- For The Spice Powder:
- Grated Copra - 2 tbs
- White Sesame Seeds - 1 tbs
- Coriander Seeds - 2 tsp
- Cumin Seeds-1 tsp
- Clove-3
- Cinnamon - a small stick
- For The Rice:
- Basmati Rice - 1 cup
- Salt - to taste
- Water - 2 1/2 cups
- Oil-2 tbs
- Mustard Seeds-1 tsp
- Hing - a pinch
- Mushroom - 100 gm
- Green Chillies - 2-3
- Red Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
- Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
- Fresh Coconut and Coriander Leaves for garnish
- Cashew Nuts - 1 tbs roasted
Instructions
- Wash and soak rice for 30 minutes.
- Dry roast all the spice powder ingredients until slightly browned.
- Powder it in the mixer grinder and keep it aside.
- In a pan heat oil, add mustard and hing and once they crackle, add in the mushrooms and slit green chillies.
- Saute for a few minutes and remove from stove.
- In the pan of the rice cooker, add drained rice, water, salt, red chilly powder, sauteed mushrooms and green chillies, turmeric powder and switch on the stove.
- Keep stirring at regular intervals and wait until the cooker goes to warm.
- Let it sit at this stage for 10 minutes.
- Slightly fluff the rice with a fork, garnish with roasted cashew, coconut and coriander leaves and serve hot.
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#99
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An inviting bowl of rice and the garnish makes it special. And you have made it into an entirely new dish by using mushrooms. The spice powder iused here is an easy one compared to the goda masala used in Maharasthrian masale bhaat version.
I like the idea of placing the coconut in the frig to make copra..wonderful idea . and this bowl of Goan rice looks wonderful I love the way garnish your rice bowls..they really tempt you .
Lovely dish Gayatri, I have made similar kind of rice ( Masala Baath from Maharastra ) long time ago. Looks delicious.
Kopra really gives an amazing tatste to the Rice.. Lovely flavpurful masala bhat!!
Love the spice powder, especially with kopra. Have to try this asap!! Yum yum!
Wow! Lovely recipe here. I was expecting Goda masala here but this one sounds so much like an Andhra masala. Glad Sruthi enjoyed it and no surprises there. 🙂
I am still at a wow – you make all these delicious dishes but not tasting it. Man kudos to your will powder. This masala baath sounds delicious and thanks for the koparai idea. 🙂
yes Gayathri, the masala bhath spice powder is very close to Vangibhath except for 1-2 ingredients… am surprised that Copra is not available in ur town, why ?? any reason?
In south we use only fresh coconut in dishes Kalyani. Copra is not available at stores here.
Even I find it strange that copra is not easily available!..Though as you say, we also keep storing the fresh coconut in the fridge and completely forget it..lol. After a while, we notice it turns hard and dry! this rice sounds so yummy Gayathri!.
Wow! Lovely dish! It is such an inviting bowl of rice and the garnish makes it amazing! I have bookmarked this to try later!