Coconut Rice | Kobbari Annam | Thengai Sadam | Tenginakayi Anna

Coconut Rice (called Kobbari Annam in Telugu, Tenginakayi Anna in Kannada, and Thengai Sadam in Tamil) is oh-so-easy to make, and tastes heavenly. I make this nutty, vegan, gluten-free rice dish often in the festival season as it is a preferred naivedyam and as a means of using some of the coconut I get as prasadam. 🙂

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In South India, festive meals always include various rice dishes as naivedyam and Coconut Rice is one of the favourites. On regular days, this dish may also be served as breakfast or then as a one-dish meal; especially if you have left over cooked rice and some coconut at home. 🙂

The vegan, gluten-free dish is perhaps one of the best ways to include the nutritious coconut in your meal.

Some Tips to Make the Perfect South Indian Coconut Rice

• Use any short grain rice such as Surti Kolam to make this dish.
• Cook the rice such that the grains are cooked well but separate on cooling.
• Always let the rice cool well before mixing it into the coconut mix.
• You can also add 1 or 2 green chillies along with red chillies.
• Do lightly stir-fry the grated coconut with the tempering to make it aromatic and release the nutty flavour. Be careful and do not over fry it.
• In this recipe, I have used both cashews and peanuts; you can use just one of them, should you so wish.
• This is a dish best enjoyed immediately or should be just warmed before serving.

Other Recipes with Coconut

If you love coconut as I do, you will probably also like these dishes:

• Coconut and Mustard Rice | Kayi Sasive Chitranna | Ava Pettina Kobbari Annam (A variation of coconut rice that is spiced with with mustard and dried red chillies)
• Vegan Rice Pudding with Coconut Milk, Cinnamon, and Raisins
• Coconut Milk Biryani | Tengai Paal Sadam

Other Festive Rice Recipes

• Mango Rice | Mamidikaya Pulihora | Mangai Sadam | Mavinakai Chitranna
• Nuvvula Nimmakaya Pulihora | Lemon Rice with Roasted Sesame Powder
• Kovil Pulihora | Koyil Puliyodarai | Temple Tamarind Rice as Made in a Temple
• Ellu Sadam | Nuvvula Annam | Ellodarai: South Indian Sesame Rice

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How to Make South Indian Coconut Rice | Kobbari Annam | Thengai Sadam | Tenginakayi Anna

1. Cooking the Rice
   1. Wash 1 cup rice well under running water till the water runs clear.
   2. Add 1.75 cups water and pressure cook rice for 3 whistles.
   3. Set the pressure cooker aside for about 15 minutes to cool and depressurize.
   4. Take the rice out and spread it on a plate to cool and dry a bit.
2. Making the Kobbari Annam | Thengai Sadam
   1. In a heavy-bottomed wok/kadai, heat 1 tbsp coconut oil. 
   2. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds and wait till they splutter.
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   3. Now, add 1 tbsp udad dal and 1 tbsp chana dal, and stir-fry till light brown.
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   4. Next, add 6 to 8 split cashews and 1-2 tbsp peanuts.
   5. Fry till the cashew turns light brown and the peanuts just start to pop.
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   6. Add 3 to 4 split dried red chillies and a few curry leaves, and stir-fry for a minute.
   7. Turn the heat to low.
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   8. Add 1 cup freshly grated coconut and about 1 tsp salt and mix well.
   9. Increase the flame to medium and stir fry the coconut till it just starts to change colour. Ensure that the coconut does not turn brown.
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   10. Turn off the heat.
   11. Immediately, add the cooked and cooled rice, and mix well.
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3. Serving Suggestions
   1. Serve the Coconut Rice warm with papad on the side.

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I first posted this recipe in October 2012 and have just gotten around to updating it 😳.

Recipe for the South Indian Coconut Rice | Kobbari Annam | Tenginakayi Anna | Thengai Sadam

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Coconut Rice | Kobbari Annam | Thengai Sadam | Tenginakayi Anna

Aruna

The delicious South Indian Coconut Rice is easy to make. Just mix some lightly sautéd grated coconut and tempering in steamed rice, and this dish is ready. Called Kobbari Annam in Andhra Pradesh & Telangana, Thengai Sadam in Tamil Nadu and Tenginakayi Anna in Karnataka, all you need to enjoy this mellow, vegan and gluten-free rice dish is some papad on the side.

PS: Coconut Rice tastes best when you use Coconut Oil. 🙂

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main, Naivedyam

Cuisine Andhra, Gluten Free, Indian, Karnataka, South Indian, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings 4 People

Calories 341 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 Cup Rice (Raw/uncooked rice) See Notes
• 1 Cup Grated Coconut
• 6 to 8 Cashews (Split in half)
• 2 tbsp Peanuts
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 3 or 4 Red Chillies
• 1 tbsp Udad Dal (Husked Black Gram)
• 1 tbsp Chana Dal (Husked Bengal Gram)
• 1 tbsp Coconut Oil
• A Few Curry Leaves
• Salt to Taste

Instructions

 

Cooking the Rice

• Wash 1 cup rice well under running water till the water runs clear.
• Add 1.75 cups water and pressure cook rice for 3 whistles.
• Set the pressure cooker aside for about 15 minutes to cool and depressurize.
• Take the rice out and spread it on a plate to cool and dry a bit.

Making the Coconut Rice

• In a heavy-bottomed wok/kadai, heat 1 tbsp coconut oil.
• Add 1 tsp mustard seeds and wait till they splutter.
• Now, add 1 tbsp udad dal and 1 tbsp chana dal, and stir-fry till light brown.
• Next, add 6 to 8 split cashews and 1-2 tbsp peanuts.
• Fry till the cashew turns light brown and the peanuts just start to pop.
• Add 3 to 4 split dried red chillies and a few curry leaves, and stir-fry for a minute.
• Turn the heat to low.
• Add 1 cup freshly grated coconut and about 1 tsp salt and mix well.
• Increase the flame to medium and stir fry the coconut till it just starts to change colour. Ensure that the coconut does not turn brown.
• Turn off the heat.
• Immediately, add the cooked and cooled rice, and mix well.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve the Coconut Rice warm with papad on the side.

Notes

Tips

• Use short-grained rice; I use Surti Kolam or Wada Kolam.
• The rice should be cooked such that the grains separate on cooling. 
• The rice should be cooked such that the grains remain separate.
• Be careful not to over fry the coconut, else it will smell of coconut oil.

Nutrition

Calories: 341 kcalCarbohydrates: 47 gProtein: 7 gFat: 14 gSaturated Fat: 9 gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1 gMonounsaturated Fat: 2 gSodium: 299 mgPotassium: 198 mgFiber: 5 gSugar: 2 gVitamin A: 261 IUVitamin C: 16 mgCalcium: 37 mgIron: 2 mg

Keyword Coconut Rice, Kobbari Annam, Rice Recipe, Tenginakayi Anna, Thengai Sadam

Tried this recipe?Do let me know how you liked it @aahaaram or tag #aahaaram!