Verkadalai Sadam (Peanut Rice - South Indian style)

 

            VERKADALAI SADAM is a very common breakfast in Tamil Nadu. Verkadali translates to peanuts / ground nuts and Sadam is rice in the local lingo. This dish is also offered in temples in the form of prasad / offering. It is best had as it is or with some pickles, fried / roasted papad or chips. Coconut chutney is also another great accompaniment. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this healthy traditional delicacy.

          Besides breakfast, Verkadali Sadam can also be had for lunch or dinner too. Very yummy and easy to prepare, this flavorful dish is sometimes carried along while travelling and also serves as a lunch box meal. So it is a very good way to use up any leftover cooked rice. 

         This is a hassle free recipe where peanuts are roasted along with few other basic ingredients and then ground into a coarse powder. This is later mixed with cooked rice and a tempering is poured over it. You can prepare the peanut powder in large batches and store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for later use. 

Ingredients - 

• 2 cups cooked rice
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped to garnish
• 1 tbsp. roasted peanuts to garnish 

Dry roast & grind - 

• 1 tsp. oil
• 1 tsp. urad dal
• 1 tbsp. chana dal
• 8-10 peppercorns
• 1/4 tsp. fenugreek seeds
• 1 tsp. sesame seeds
• 3 dry red chilies
• 2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts
• 1/4 tsp. salt

To Temper - 

• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 dry red chili, broken
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 tsp. urad dal
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 sprig curry leaves

         To dry roast - Heat oil in a pan and sauté the urad dal, chana dal, pepper, fenugreek seeds, dry red chilies and sesame seeds till you get a nice aroma. 

         Add the coconut sauté till it changes colour. Switch off the flame and add the roasted peanuts, tamarind paste and 1/4 tsp. salt. Keep aside to cool. Then grind into a coarse powder. 

          To temper - Heat oil in a pan. Temper with mustard seeds and red chili. After it stops spluttering, add the urad dal. asafoetida and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds. 

           Add the cooked rice, salt to taste and the coarsely ground peanut powder (podi). Sauté for 2-3 minutes on a low to medium flame. 

           When done, switch off the flame and garnish with chopped coriander leaves and roasted peanuts. Serve along with pickles, papad, chips or fryums. 

                    Heat oil & sauté the urad dal, chana dal, pepper, fenugreek 

                    seeds, dry red chilies & sesame seeds till you get a nice aroma. 

                              Then add the coconut sauté till it changes colour. 

                     Switch off the flame & add the roasted peanuts, tamarind

                     paste. Keep aside to cool.

                             Then grind into a coarse powder. 

                     Heat oil in a pan. Temper with mustard seeds & red chili. After

                     it stops spluttering, add urad dal. asafoetida & curry leaves. 

                     Sauté for a few seconds. 

                      Add the cooked rice, salt to taste & coarsely ground peanut 

                      powder. Sauté for 2-3 minutes on a low to medium flame. 

                         When done, switch off the flame & garnish with chopped 

                         coriander leaves and roasted peanuts. 

                              Serve along with pickle, papad, chips or fryums.