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Karuveppilai Sadam served in a bowl with roasted peanuts and curry leaves, a traditional South Indian curry leaves rice recipe.

Karuveppilai Sadam Recipe (Curry Leaves Rice)

Karuveppilai Sadam is a simple South Indian curry leaves rice recipe made with homemade karuveppilai podi, cooked rice, peanuts, and basic tempering ingredients. This flavorful lunch box recipe is healthy, aromatic, and perfect for busy weekdays or quick meals using leftover rice.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: lunch, lunch box recipes, Main Course
Cuisine: south indian, Tamil Nadu
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For Karuveppilai Podi
  • 100 grams curry leaves
  • 1 tbsp urad dal
  • 1 tbsp chana dal
  • 2 dry red chillies
  • 1/2 tbsp peppercorns
  • Small gooseberry-sized tamarind
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tsp oil
For Karuveppilai Sadam
  • 3 cups cooked rice cooled
  • 2 to 3 tbsp karuveppilai podi
  • 2 tbsp oil or ghee
  • 1/4 cup peanuts
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp urad dal
  • 2 dry red chillies
  • Few curry leaves

Equipment

  • cooking pan
  • mixer grinder

Method
 

Make the Karuveppilai Podi
  1. Heat a kadai and add chana dal, and urad dal. Dry roast in low flame until aromatic and lightly golden.
  2. Then add black pepper, red chilli, tamarind, and a little asafoetida. Roast everything together for a few minutes
  3. Now add washed and dried curry leaves and saute well until the leaves shrink completely and turn crisp.
  4. Cool completely and grind into a slightly coarse powder with salt.
  5. Store the karuveppilai podi in an airtight container and use whenever needed.
Prepare the Karuveppilai Sadam
  1. Heat oil in a kadai and roast peanuts until crunchy.
  2. In the same kadai, add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter. Add urad dal and red chilli. Roast until golden.
  3. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of karuveppilai podi and sauté for a minute in low flame.
  4. Add cooked and cooled rice to the kadai.
  5. Mix gently until the rice is coated evenly with the curry leaves podi.
  6. Serve hot with appalam, pickle, chips or even with fried eggs

Notes

Roast curry leaves well to increase shelf life of the podi.
Store the podi in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Adjust spice level based on your taste.