Amaranthus Rice Cooked in coconut milk / Kobbari Palu Tho Thotakura Annam

Amaranthus Rice Cooked in coconut milk / Kobbari Palu Tho Thotakura Annam / Thotakura Pulao / Amaranthus Pulav with Coconut Milk

 After cooking a bunch of amaranthus leaves in dal, I had another bunch of amaranthus leaves left in my fridge. I initially thought of preparing the
basic stew from those leaves. But my man doesn't like stews in spite of me telling that it is very healthy. So I thought of preparing stew with tomatoes and coconut milk without adding rice ravva and tamarind.

I started off cooking and the stew was prepared. But seeing the colour of the stew, I was sooo tempted to cook rice in this flavourful stew that I immediately threw in some washed rice grains and prepared this yummy and delicious rice with amaranthus greens and shallots with coconut milk. It was so tasty and I did not have the need for a side dish for this amaranthus pulav or amaranthus rice in coconut milk.

Preparation

Wash and clean the amaranthus greens along with the stems. Discard the stems if they are not tender. Chop them finely and keep aside.

Peel the shallots and get them ready.

Puree the tomatoes and keep aside.

Heat oil in a vessel or pan.

Once hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds.

When they splutter add sliced onions and slit green chillies.

Fry for 2 minutes and add ginger garlic paste and hing.

Add curry leaves.

Fry for a minute and add shallots and dry red chillies. Sauté until the shallots turn translucent.

Now throw in amaranthus greens and turmeric powder.

Mix well and add salt.

Cover with a lid and cook until the green leaves wither and become soft. Stir in between to avoid burning at the bottom.

Now add coconut milk and bring it to a boil.

When it is boiling add tomato puree and mix well.

Add chilli powder, sugar and garam masala powder and mix well. Check for seasoning. If you want it more spicy add more chilli powder.

Add dry mint leaves and mix well. You can also use fresh mint leaves if you have. This will give a very nice flavour. Cook well.

If you want as a stew, switch off the flame at this stage. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice. If you want to prepare rice, then go ahead and add rice in the coconut milk mixture.

Add little water ( around 1/3 cup )  and mix well. Cover with lid. Cook on low flame until the moisture is completely evaporated. Do not mix in between.

To check if the rice is completely done or not, pour a few tbsp. of water on the platform. Carefully lift the vessel with a kitchen cloth and put it on the water. If there is a sizzling sound, then the rice is completely cooked. At this stage, switch off the flame and allow to cool for 5 minutes. If there is no sizzling sound, then cook for some more time. This is the ground rule that it is to be followed when cooking rice without a pressure cooker. Throw in finely chopped coriander leaves and gently fluff with a fork without breaking or mashing the cooked rice grains.

Serve hot.

Ingredients

Amaranthus Leaves 1 bunch
Tomatoes 2 big Or Tomato Puree 1.5 cups
Shallots 1 cup
Oil 2 tbsp.
Mustard Seeds 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds 1 tsp
\Fenugreek Seeds 1/4 tsp
Onion 1/2 sliced
Green Chillies 4
Ginger Garlic Paste 1.5 tsp
Hing 1 big pinch
Curry Leaves few sprigs
Dry Red Chillies 1
Turmeric Powder 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Coconut Milk 2 cups
Chilli Powder 1 tsp
Sugar 2 tsp
Garam Masala Powder1 tsp
Rice 1 cup
Water 1/3 cup
Dry Mint Leaves 2 tsp
Coriander Leaves to garnish

Method

1. Clean and wash the amaranthus leaves. Chop them finely and keep aside.
2. Peel the shallots and keep them aside.
3. Puree the tomatoes and keep aside.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds.
5. When they splutter, add sliced onions and slit green chillies. Fry until the onions turn pink in colour.
6. Throw in ginger garlic paste and hing. Fry for a minute.
7. Add curry leaves, shallots and dry red chillies. Sauté until the shallots turn pink in colour.
8. Now drop in the amaranthus leaves and turmeric powder. Add salt and mix well.
9. Cook covered until the leaves wither and turn soft.
10. Now pour the coconut milk and allow it come to a boil.
11. Add tomato puree and mix well. Cook until the raw taste of tomatoes disappear.
12. Now add chilli powder, sugar and garam masala powder.
13. Add dry mint leaves and mix well.
14. Cook well and switch off the flame at this stage if you want a stew. Garnish with coriander leaves.
15. If you want to cook rice in this stew, then add washed rice and mix well.
16. Add little water ( around 1/3 cup ) and mix well. Cover with lid and cook on low flame.
17. Cook until the rice is completely cooked ( there should be no moisture left in the vessel ).
18. Pour little water on the platform. Place the vessel on this water. if you get a sizzling sound - this means that the rice is completely cooked and you can switch off the flame.
19. If there is no sizzling sound, then cook for some more time. Check again after some time for the sizzling sound.
20. Garnish with coriander leaves and gently fluff with a fork.
21. Serve hot with any raita.

Notes

• Adding mint gives a very nice flavour for the dish.
• You need not have a raita. This can be served as it is.
• This is a one pot meal and is very healthy.
• You can also add other veggies like carrots, beets, etc.,.
• This dish can also be cooked with other green leafy veggies like spinach, etc.,.