MALABAR RICE RECIPES - COCONUT RICE AND JAGGERY RICE

MALABAR RICE RECIPES - THENGA CHORU AND CHAKKARA CHORU

Chakkara choru (jaggery rice) is one of the popular traditional Malabar rice recipes which is prepared during special occasions like Bara'ath nombu day in Muslim households. This Malabar rice dish is usually served along with a hot black tea. Its preparation is very simple and with fewer ingredients. I always love the way my umma (mom) makes traditional Malabar recipes (especially nonveg recipes like Malabar dum biriyani, chicken korma, Malabar pathiri and kozhi curry, varutharacha chicken curry, meen pathiri, kozhiyada, koonthal nirachath etc,). Those are my favorite recipes ever. But this recipe for thenga choru and chakkara choru are my mil's recipes (mom in law). Yes, most of the traditional recipes like lamb brain fry, adalodakam omelet, jeera kanji, chukku kaapi etc are from her experienced hands (mil's). The memories of these dishes make me drool and nostalgic. 

Thenga choru  (coconut rice) is yet another Malabar delicacy which needs no introduction. This is a must try Malabar rice dish for those who love Malabar recipes. Coconut rice (thenga chor)is always accompanied with beef pepper roast and pappadam. Before marriage, I never cared to taste this rice even though my parents compelled me to. But now, am a big fan of the same and like so my daughters, they crave for this rice dish. The aroma from fenugreek (uluva) and when that comes with comfort food, my family instinctively crave for this thenga choru that burst with flavors. So simple to make and yet delicious. 

THENGA CHORU / COCONUT RICE

INGREDIENTS

Parboiled rice / puzhukkalari  - 1 cup

Coconut scraped  - 1.5 cups

Shallots  - 8 nos, finely chopped

Fenugreek seeds/ uluva - half tbsp

Salt as required

PREPARATION

Please click on the below video link for the detailed recipe for chakkara choru and thenga choru 

• Wash the rice well and set aside. 
• In a deep bottomed bowl, mix together rice, scraped coconut, shallots chopped and fenugreek seeds. Combine well with hand or spoon, 
• To this, add 3 cups of water. Mix well again.  (For a cup of rice  you need 3 cups of water). While cooking, if required you can add more water. 
• Now transfer it to a large cookware or earthen pot.
• Add required salt and cook until the water gets dried out completely, 
• Once done, serve hot. 
• Delicious and flavorful coconut rice or Thenga choru is ready to serve.
• It pairs best with beef pepper roast and pappad.

CHAKKARA CHORU / JAGGERY RICE

INGREDIENTS

Parboiled rice / Puzhukkalari    - 1 cup

Coconut scraped  - 1 cup

Jaggery  - a big piece or as required as per sweet preference

Salt - as required.

Shallots  - 1 tbsp, for seasoning

Coconut oil  - 1 tbsp

PREPARATION

• Wash the rice very well and set aside.
• In a deep bottomed bowl, mix together rice and scraped coconut. Combine it well with hand or a spoon.
• To this, add 3 cups of water. Mix well again. (For a cup of rice you need 3 cups of water). While cooking, if required you can add more water. 
• Now transfer it to a large cookware and add a pinch of salt. 
• Cook covered until the rice is cooked 80 % and once the water starts drying out add the jaggery slices. (if it contains dirt, u have to melt the jaggery before adding). 
• Again cook until the water dried out completely. 
• Meanwhile, heat a pan and dry roast the fennel seeds until done and powder it. Add this fennel seed powder and mix well. 
• Now let us season the jaggery rice. For that, heat the pan with coconut oil and fry the finely chopped shallots until golden. When done, pour it over the prepared rice. 
• Serve this hot along with a black tea. Yummy.