Delicate South Indian temple coconut rice tempered with mustard seeds, crisp lentils, green chilies, and wood-pressed coconut oil.
Lunch · 10 min prep · 15 min cook · serves 3 Newly added
Ingredients
- 2 cups rice , cooked firm and cooled; raw or sona masuri
- 1.5 cups coconut (fresh grated)
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tbsp urad dal
- 1 tbsp chana dal
- 2 green chili , slit lengthwise
- 1 dry red chili , halved
- 1/4 tsp hing (asafoetida)
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1.5 tsp salt
Preparation
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Cook rice firm; spread onto a wide tray to cool.
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Heat coconut oil; crackle mustard seeds, then fry urad dal and chana dal until golden.
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Add chilies, curry leaves, and hing; sauté 20 seconds.
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Add grated coconut; stir-fry over low heat for 2 minutes without browning.
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Add salt, remove from heat, and gently fold into cooled rice.
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Rest 15 minutes before serving.
In the tradition
Thengai Sadam is a staple of Tirumala Annadanam halls. Gently warming fresh coconut in cold-pressed coconut oil preserves its sweet fats while infusing it with tempered lentils and hing.
Sources & further reading
- Tirumala Tirupati Annadanam Trust Canon (Temple Prasadam Variety Rice Archive)
Classical citations mark where a tradition is drawn on; modern books are shared as further reading, not as prescriptions.