Ulundhu Saadham (Urad Dhal Rice)

This dish has some unique flavours - there is, of course the urad dhal (ulundhu in tamil) which lends a slight creaminess to the rice, then there is the cumin flavour that you bite into, a slight bitterness from the methi , a hint of garlic and the slight sweetness of the coconut paired by jaggery bits with a subtle saltiness in the background. I know it sounds like too many things going on at once but it's very good. I've had this a couple of times at my home and also at my grandmother's place. This also makes for an ideal post-partum food, by the way.
My husband is also a big fan of this dish and I infact got this recipe from my mother-in-law...

ULUNDHU SAADHAM

Ingredients:
Rice - 1 cup
Ulundhu (White, split Urad dhal) - 1/4 cup
Methi seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Garlic - 2 cloves, peeled and sliced.
Grated coconut - 1 tbsp
Gingelly Oil (Nallennai ) - 1 tsp
Salt, to taste

To serve:
Gingelly Oil or Ghee
Crushed jaggery
Coconut Thovayal or
Gotsu

Method:
1. Dry roast ulundhu in a pan for a few minutes. Don't let it brown. Add this to rice. Also add about 3 cups water (or whatever proportion you normally use to cook rice + a little more for the ulundhu) and salt.

2. Heat the tsp of oil and fry cumin seeds, methi seeds and garlic. Don't let the garlic brown too much. Add this to the rice mixture along with the tbsp of coconut and cook till done.

3. Serve hot, drizzled with some gingelly oil or ghee. My husband loves to sprinkle crushed jaggery on top and I like it with coconut thovayal. Gotsu also makes a good accompaniment.

I would like to send this as an entry for JFI-Rice hosted by Sharmi and originally thought of by Indira.