Easy Cilantro rice/Kothamalli rice:

I made this Cilantro rice for my husband and son's lunch box today.

Cilantro is one herb which features regularly in my cooking, due to its amazing health benefits.  It is one potent herb which helps in detoxification. It plays a critical role in aiding the removal of heavy metals like mercury, aluminium and cadmium. It has been proven by recent studies that it can help diabetics in regulating blood sugar.
It is a rich source of Vitamin C, along with iron and magnesium to name a few.

An added plus is that this healthy rice can be made in a jiffy, if you have the

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked rice
Cilantro/Kothamalli-1 bunch (stalks removed and thoroughly washed)
Green chillies-2 nos
Urad dal-1 tbsp
Channa dal-2 tsps
Asafoetida(heeng)-a pinch
Tamarind-a very small sized lump
Salt-as needed
Oil

Preparation:

In a kadai, heat oil. Add the urad dal and the channa dal. Fry till they are slightly browned. Throw in the green chillies and the asafoetida. Fry for a while. Add the tamarind and the salt at this stage. Switch off the stive. Now add in the chopped cilantro and let it saute in the heat of the pan.

Making sure that the fried ingredients have cooled down enough, transfer them to a mixer and grind it into a slightly coarse paste, adding just the right amount of water for a thogayal like consistency.

Cool the cooked rice by spreading it in a wide bowl. One handy tip that my mom passed on to me is that adding 1-2 teaspoons of sesame oil to rice will keep the rice from being too pasty.

Mix in the thogayal with the rice and give a gentle stir to incorporate everything together. Adjust the salt, if needed.

This healthy rice, along with some stir fry or kootu is a good lunch box option.


Notes:

1. Dried red chillies can be used in place of green chillies.
2. I generally use the Tamicon(tamarind paste) that is readily available in Indian groceries.
3. This thogayal can be prepared the night before, stored in the refrigerator to be used subsequently.