Kobbari Annam / Coconut Rice

Ingredients

5 cups Basmathi rice
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp + 2 tbsp Butter or ghee
handful of cashews (Optional)
10 Green Chillies
1 Onion sliced thin length wise
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp red chilli powder (adjust for your spice level)
7 1/2 cups of water
1 can(13.5 oz or 400ml) coconut milk
 3 to 4 tbsp dry coconut powder
1/2 tbsp garam masala

For Tempering

2 tsp Cumin seeds
5 star anise broken into pieces (Anasapuvu)
1 tsp nutmeg powder (Jajikaya)
6 small barks of Mace (Javetri)
4 cardamom pods crushed
6 cloves(Lavangam)
2 inch cinnamon stick
5 Dried Bay leaves
1 tsp Shaijeera(black cumin)
1 tsp turmeric

Method

In a bowl mix the water and coconut milk and keep aside.
Heat 2 tbsp of butter in a thick bottomed sauce pan. Add the rice and toast the rice till light golden brown color. Do not stir the rice as that will break the rice grains.

We do not want the broken rice grains. So, to toast the rice evenly, toss it gently or just shake the pan holding the pan handle. This step will make the rice dry and fluffy.  Now transfer to the rice to the rice cooker bowl and keep aside.

Heat the oil and rest of the butter in the same pan. Add the tempering and let them splutter. Add in the green chillies, coconut powder and cashews and fry till cashews are light brown in color and coconut powder is well toasted. Add in the onion and fry till golden brown. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 minutes.
Add salt, red chilli powder, garam masala and fry for a minute.
Add in the water coconut milk mixture and bring it to a boil. At this point check the taste and adjust the seasonings.

Transfer the boiling water mixture to the rice cooker where we kept the rice earlier.

Hook up the rice cooker and let the rice cook. Once done let it sit for 10 to 20 minutes and then fluff it with a fork and transfer to a serving bowl.

You can go ahead and garnish with coriander leaves before serving.
Coconut rice can be served with Raitha or any spicy gravy curry be it vegan or meat.