Mint rice
Mint rice is a refreshing and aromatic South Indian dish made with fragrant mint leaves, cooked rice, and a blend of spices.
Ingredients
For the Mint paste
- 3 Tbsp oil (preferably sesame oil)
- 1 tbsp chana dal
- ½ tbsp urad dal
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 3 Green chillies adjust to your spiciness
- 1 bunch mint leaves
- Lemon size tamarind
- Water (as needed)
For the rice
- 3 cup of Cooked rice or leftover rice
- 3 Tbsp ghee
- ½ tsp mustard
- ½ tbsp chana dal
- 10-15 cashews or peanuts
- A few curry leaves
- 1 onion finely chopped
Instructions
- Cook the rice if you don´t have any leftover rice.
- Heat oil or ghee in a pan over medium heat. Add urad dal, chana dal, garlic, and green chillies and saute till the dals turn light brown.
- Add a bunch of cleaned and chopped mint leaves and a small lemon-sized tamarind. Saute for 3 minutes.
- Cool the mixture and blend them in a blender or a food processor. Blend until you get a smooth paste. You may need to add a tablespoon of water to help with the blending process.
- In the same pan, heat ghee and add chana dal. Saute until it turns light brown. Add the cashews or peanuts, mustard and curry leaves.
- Add finely chopped onions and sauté until they turn translucent.
- Once the onions are cooked, add about 2 1/2 tablespoons of mint paste. Stir well and saute for a couple of minutes. If the mixture is too thick you can add 2 -3 tablespoons of water and combine them well.
- Don`t forget to adjust the amount of mint paste according to the amount of rice you are using.
- Now, add the cooked rice to the pan. Gently mix everything until the rice is well coated with the mint mixture. Be careful not to break the rice grains while mixing.
- Season with salt according to your taste. Stir to ensure an even distribution of salt throughout the rice.
- Once the rice is heated through and well combined with the mint mixture, turn off the heat.
- Drizzle 2 teaspoons of ghee for an extra burst of flavour (optional).
- Serve them with yoghurt, pickle, pappad or any curry of your choice.
Notes
- Mint rice offers a simple solution for utilizing leftover rice, breathing new life into each grain with its refreshing taste.
- Use just the right amount of mint paste and refrigerate the rest for later use.
- Overcooked rice can become mushy, which isn't ideal for this dish. Cooling the rice completely before mixing it with mint paste helps it maintain its texture and prevents it from clumping together. Cooking the rice the night before and storing it in the refrigerator is a smart way to save time and ensure it's ready to go when you're ready to make mint rice. Plus, chilled rice tends to work better in dishes like this, as it's less likely to become sticky or soggy.
