Arisim Paruppu/Rice with Lentil

Arisim Paruppu

Arisim Paruppu meaning rice and lentil is a very famous rice and lentil dish in the Kongu regions of Tamilnadu. This recipe is from Gowri Aunty~our friends mom who hails from Erode. Thatta payir / red beans is best for this dish although any lentil can be used in combination with rice. Her recipe uses fresh spices for a very aromatic dish to be had with appalam/pappadam, pickle or raitha.

List of ingredients:

1. 2 cups Rice
2. 1 cup Thatta Payir/Red beans
3. ¼ cup finely cut shallots
4. 1 cup finely chopped tomatoes
5. 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
6. few curry leaves and few red chillies broken into half.
7. 2 tablespoons oil
8. 1 teaspoon ghee/clarified butter ( optional)
9. 2 teaspoons salt

Masala Ingredients:

1. 1 teaspoon pepper
2. 4 teaspoon coriander seeds
3. 2 cloves
4. 1 small piece cinnamon
5. ½ teaspoon fennel/sombu
6. ½ teaspoon khus khus
   

Procedure:

1. Roast the masala ingredients in a teaspoon of oil and dry grind to a coarse powder.
2. Dry roast the Thatta payir/ Red beans in a pan and soak them for two hours. Pressure cook the beans for upto 5 whistles or until cooked.
3. Heat the oil in a heavy bottom vessel or pressure cooker, when hot saute the shallots until light brown. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute well for another minute. To this add the chopped tomatoes and saute well until oil seperates. Add the cooked beans, rice, ground masala and salt. Do not discard the water from the cooked beans. Adjust water accordingly and cook the rice .
4. In another kadai/pan season the red chillies and curry leaves. Add to the rice. Add the ghee/ clarified butter and mix well.

Serve hot with Appalam/ papadam, Pickle or Raitha.

Tips: Any lentil can be used for this recipe. The masala can be added after the rice is cooked, I prefer adding with the rice. Finally garnish with Cilantro leaves.