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Thengai Paal Sadam Coconut Milk Pulao served in a pan with fried onions, roasted cashews and mint garnish – South Indian Tamil style.

Thengai Paal Sadam (தேங்காய் பால் சாதம்) – Coconut Milk Pulao

A simple and flavorful South Indian coconut milk rice made without onions or vegetables. Requires very few ingredients and gets ready in under 30 minutes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 3 people
Course: dinner, lunch, onepotmeal
Cuisine: southindian, Tamil Nadu
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup basmati rice soaked for 30 minutes
  • 2 cups coconut milk
  • 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
  • 1 tbsp white poppy seeds khas khas
  • 2 pods cardamom
  • 1 nos Dry Cinnamon Sticks
  • 2 nos cloves
  • 1 nos bay leaf
  • 1 nos small piece kalpasi optional
  • 1½ tbsp oil or ghee
  • Salt to taste
  • Fried onions for garnish optional
  • Roasted cashews for garnish optional
  • Mint leaves for garnish optional

Equipment

  • 1 cooking pot

Method
 

  1. Soak basmati rice for 30 minutes.
  2. Grind poppy seeds, ginger garlic paste, cardamom and clove to a smooth paste.
  3. Mix the paste with coconut milk and keep it aside.
  4. Heat oil or ghee in a pan and add bay leaf, Dry Cinnamon Sticks and kalpasi.
  5. Add the coconut milk mixture, salt and let it boil.
  6. Add soaked rice, mix gently and cook on low flame with lid until coconut milk is absorbed.
  7. Once absorbed, keep the rice on dum for 10 minutes.
  8. Fluff gently and garnish with fried onions, roasted cashews and mint leaves if desired.

Notes

  • Do not boil on high flame — coconut milk may split.
  • Always soak basmati rice for at least 20 minutes for soft grains.
  • Add salt only after coconut milk starts to warm; adding early can reduce flavor.
  • If rice feels undercooked, sprinkle 3/4cup hot water and close lid for 10 minutes.
  • Use thick first-extract coconut milk; too much water will make it mushy.