Koozh

Ingredients:

Broken rice – 1 cup.

Mustard – ¼ teaspoon.

Zeera (cumin) – ½ teaspoon.

Methidana (fenugreek) – 1 teaspoon.

Green chillis – 3-4 inches long – 3.

Or

Red chillis – 2 inches long – 3.

Grated ginger – 1 teaspoon.

Butter milk – 3-4 cups.

Curry leaves – 2 sprigs.

Coriander leaves – 10 sprigs.

Pudina (mint) – 2 sprigs.

Salt – to taste.

Oil – 1 table spoon.

Water – as required.

Method: Roast the broken rice just until it swells, but not till it become black. Grind the roasted rice coarsely. Heat a kadai and pour a little oil in it. Sauté mustard, zeera, methidana, chillis and ginger in the oil. When you realise the good odour of ginger, add ground rice and mix well. Add water till the contents of the kadai are covered. Cook well. Add curry, coriander and pudina leaves. Add salt and mix well. After two minutes, change the flame to simmer. Add butter milk and stir. Serve warm or cold.

Serves: 4 people.

Note:

1. Dalia can be substituted for broken rice. But Koozh made with dalia cannot be offered to the Devi.
2. In Kerala coconut oil is used and in Tamil Nadu til oil. Some people prefer refined sunflower oil. Some others may mix all these 3 oils together for this dish.