EVENT: A- Z RECIPE CHALLENGE
THEME : AN INGREDIENT BEGINNING WITH THE LETTER R
RECIPE: SPICY RICE, MANGO AND COCONUT SALAD
Spicy Rice, Mango and Coconut Salad
So how did I decide to make a salad with a long name like Spicy Rice, Mango and Coconut Salad? Well, whenever I have a bit of plain rice leftover, I like to make what we Gujjus call Vagharelo Bhaat. That simply means tempered rice. Add a bit of onion, a bit garlic, green chillis, fresh coriander, turmeric, red chilli powder, cumin seeds with a dash of salt, lemon juice and vagharelo bhaat is ready. To make it into a filling and healthy meal, I added a few salad ingredients. And there, in a jiffy a tasty rice salad is ready. With mangoes in season, I added semi ripe chopped mango to give the salad a bit of tanginess and the natural sweetness from fresh coconut.
Memories
I remember my mum would always prepare Vagharelo Bhaat for us to enjoy whenever there was any leftover rice. There was no fixed time when we could enjoy it, for breakfast, in between meals, afternoon tea, or as part of a meal. Sometimes I wonder did she purposely make more rice so we could enjoy this spicy rice? Well, will never know that but every time I make the spicy rice, it reminds me of my mum.
Some Dishes You May Want to Check Out:
- Using Rice Flour – gluten free Rice Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Famous Gujarati Snack – Papdi No Lot or Khichu using rice flour
- Have you tried Black Rice Phirni? Its not only colorful but so delicious.
- Or try Black Rice Pudding with Mangoes the way its served in Indonesia.
- Red Rice Kheer using jaggery adds a lot of earthy taste
- Try out Bean Sprout and Radish Leaves Salad – right time to try this salad as with winter will come extra crispy and fresh radish leaves.
- Use grated white radish and the leaves to make delicious hot Mooli Parathas for breakfast.
- I like to make a simple sabji/shaak/side dish using ridge gourd with peas – Turia Matar nu Shaak
- Use leftover rice to make some delicious Rice Vada – healthy as I make them in an appe pan, so not deep fried
- You’ve got to try the traditional Swahili breakfast dish Vitumbua made from rice. I love to serve it with honey drizzled on it or with some orange syrup and chocolate sauce.
- And my all time favorite is Khatti Kanki, using broken rice. Its a Gujarati rice dish where broken rice is cooked with spices and yogurt. Enjoy it on its own or with some spicy potato shaak.
- I use edible rose petals, rose syrup and rose liqueur to prepare these festive rose flavored mini cupcakes.
A bit about the group
A – Z Recipe Challenge group started by fellow bloggers Vidya and Jolly, is themed based. This month we have to use any ingredient whose English name begins with R. Compared to letter Q, finding food names with R seems like a breeze. From raisins, raspberries, radicchio, rosemary, red currants, red cabbage, radish, rhubarb, romaine lettuce, rose apples, ridge gourd and so many more. I chose rice as my ingredient at the last minute. I was suppose to use ricotta cheese but it didn’t get from my online shopping. Yes still relying on online shopping for all my essentials as the second wave of Covid is worse.
Vidya blogs at Masala Chilli, and Jolly’s blog Homemade Recipes offer recipes from two ends of India. Vida’s are largely Tamil Cuisine based and Jolly’s is where you’ll find some yummy Punjabi recipes. I use ridge gourd quite often but have not tried making it with Toor dal as Vidya does. Her Peerkangai Kootu is bookmarked to try out soon. I first came across Jolly’s Tawa Pulao (spicy rice prepared on a skillet or tawa)recipe some years back and to date prepare it whenever I have some leftover bhaji from my pav bhaji.
Ingredients required for Spicy Rice, Mango and Coconut Salad:
- Leftover Plain Rice – can also use leftover brown rice.
- Onion – any of your choice, finely chopped. I’ve used red onion.
- Garlic – either chop finely or mince it.
- Green Chillis – sliced. I prefer the bite it adds to the salad. However, you can mince it. If you don’t like chilli food, then omit green chillis.
- Oil – any of your choice. I used sunflower seed oil.
- Cumin Seeds – jeera. Easily available in stores or Indian Grocery stores.
- Turmeric Powder – haldi, hardar
- Red Chilli Powder – use according to your taste
- Mango – I’ve used semi ripe mango which is not very sour.
- Cucumber – chop into sticks or cubes
- Fresh Coconut – either chop it or grate it
- Pomegranate Arils – if you don’t have pomegranate add chopped grapes or apple.
- Carrot – grated or chopped
- Cashew Nuts – roasted and chopped. Can use any nuts of your choice
- Salt – according to your taste. I’ve used Himalayan Pink Salt
- Fresh Coriander – chopped along with the stem, as that part is very flavourful
- Lemon Juice
Dietary Tips:
- Gluten Free
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Healthy
SPICY RICE, MANGO AND COCONUT SALAD
Ingredients
- 1 cup leftover rice
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1-2 green chillis sliced
- 1 tbsp oil
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- ½ cup ripe mango diced
- 1 cup cucumber diced
- ¼ cup fresh coconut diced or grated
- ¼ cup grated carrot
- ¼ cup pomegranate arils
- ¼ cup roasted cashew nuts cut into smaller pieces
- ½ tsp salt
- 2-3 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
- 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat oil in a wide pan over medium heat.
- When it becomes hot add cumin seeds.
- As soon as the seeds begin to sizzle, add the chopped onion.
- Stir fry the onion for 1 minute.
- Add chopped garlic and green chillis. Mix well.
- Add turmeric powder and mix well.
- Immediately add the rice and salt.
- Mix it well.
- Add the red chilli powder and take the pan off the heat.
- Mix the rice well and let it cool.
- In the meantime cut the cucumber, coconut and mango.Grate the carrot.
- Add to a mixing bowl.
- Add chopped coriander, pomegranate arils and chopped cashew nuts.
- Mix in the spicy rice.
- Drizzle some lemon juice over it. Mix well.
- Serve.
Tips:
- Add salad ingredients of your choice.
- This salad does not require a dressing but if you want, go for a good vinaigrette.
- Don't over cook the onion, garlic and chillis as you want them to be a bit crunchy.
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If you do try this recipe then please either
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