Undoubtedly, rice is the most celebrated main course throughout the country, and of course, it is a staple diet in many parts of India’s southern region. Rice is consumed with various regional cuisines. Be it sweet or spicy, rice has always made it to the food table in one way or another.
If you are a rice lover, you can feel the importance of rice on the plate. Be it Biryani, Pulao, Kheer, or even very basic Jeera rice, it just adds a sense of completion to the meal and makes you feel happy. Let us have a look at these eight amazing rice dishes from across the country that you must try.
Ven Pongal
Traditional South Indian dish, Van Pongal made with rice and moong dal. One of the most popular rice dishes in South India, Ven Pongal is often cooked during festivals and offered to deities at temples and other religious places. Ven Pongal is seasoned with curry leaves, ginger, cumin and black pepper.
Jaggery Rice (Gud Wale Chawal)
Gud Wale Chawal or Jaggery Rice is a famous traditional sweet dish in Punjab often cooked during festivals like Lohri. It is a mix of Jaggery, rice, and other spices cooked with utmost love. Though Jaggery rice also has a place in other regional cuisines, it has its roots in Punjab. This rice is generally eaten plain but one can always add milk and jaggery to add more sweetness.
Image credits: Dassana Veg Recipes
Bore Basi
Bore Basi is a cooked fermented rice dish consumed in the summer months in states like Chhattisgarh. Bore Basi has no spices or loud flavours. All it needs is the rice soaked in water for hours. The soaked rice with water is served in the place with tomato chutney, onions and chillies. It is considered to be a dish which is often consumed by farmers and labourers. However, an attempt to relish this traditional dish is being made.
Image credits: Patrika
Carrot Rice
This rice dish is not only for those who are a sweet tooth but also who consider themselves health freaks. Carrot has always been a vital part of a healthy diet and in this recipe, carrots are combined with nuts and spices. It is quite similar to vegetable pulao but is cooked only with carrots and herbs. When one has to cook sweet carrot rice, they can jaggery and when one wants to make it spicy, spices of choice could be added.
Tomato Rice
Another rice dish from South India that is a must-try is Tomato rice or Thakalli Sadam. Thakkali Sadam is from Tamil Nadu and is a meal with an explosion of flavours. In Tamil, Thakalli means Tomato and Sadam means rice. Tomato rice is very easy to cook and it is an absolute treat for those who love rice with a tangy touch.
Image credits: Spice up the curry
Gucchi Pulao
A specialty of Kashmir, Gucchi Pulao is a unique pulao made with Gucchi. Gucchi is a spongy mushroom found in the Himalayas and is highly prized because of its smoky and earthy flavour. Apart from Kashmir, it is also prepared in some parts of Himachal Pradesh. Gucchi pulao is unique in many senses. It is definitely different from the monotonous rice dishes we have. Moreover, Gucchi is hard to find in regular vegetable stores. Don’t go by its looks, Gucchi tastes absolutely amazing.
Lemon Rice
Lemon Rice is yet another delight from Karnataka. Also known as Chitranna, Lemon rice is a fusion of lemon, cooked rice and spices. It is often seasoned with mustard seeds, curry leaves, fried lentils and chilli. Added turmeric powder gives it a pleasant yellow colour.
Gatte ka Pulao
Rajasthan has given us many interesting and mouth-watering dishes. One of them is ‘Gatte ka pulao’. This traditional rice dish has cooked rice tossed with boiled Gatta and spices on a Tawa. This unique pulao is a great dish to be served at parties. Especially, when you make Gatte ki Sabji and have extra Gatte left, toss it with cooked rice and please your taste buds.
Image credits: Archana's kitchen
Curd Rice
When we talk about rice, Curd rice is something that cannot be forgotten. Though it is also a South Indian dish, it is eaten all across the country. Curd rice is made up of cooked rice, curd and spices and seasoned with mustard seeds and curry leaves. This rice dish is perfect for keeping the body cool during summers.
We can never get full of rice. Right? There are ample rice dishes out there that we can try and never get tried. So, step out and have these amazing rice dishes for a great and memorable experience!!
