Sesame (Til) Rice

Sesame or Til rice is a specialty rice dish that is prepared as a naivedya or offering to Lord Balaji, especially on Saturdays and also the Tamil month of Purattasi(mid Sept to mid Oct). Simple to prepare but rich in taste....

                                                                      SESAME RICE

Ingredients :

White sesame seeds - 1/2 cup
Dry red chilies - 2
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Rice - 1 cup
Curry leaves
Hing - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Green chilies - 2
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Chana dal - 1/2 tsp
Sesame oil - 2 tsps
Ghee - 1 tsp

Method :

1. Heat a pan on low heat and dry roast sesame seeds till golden brown. Transfer to a bowl.

2. Cook rice with 2 cups water. Take care not to over cook them. Once done spread out in a plate to avoid them getting sticky.

3. Heat 1/4 tsp oil in the same pan and add urad dal, red chilies and fry for 2 minutes. Cool. Grind coarsely in a mixer along with the roasted sesame seeds.

4. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan along with ghee and add mustard seeds. Once they crackle add chana dal, hing, slit green chilies and curry leaves.

5. Add this to the cooked rice plus salt to taste.  Now add 1 tbsp of the ground mixture and check for taste. If needed add more and mix gently.
Serve warm as desired.