Sodyachi Khichadi

Ingredients

• ¾ cup dried jumbo prawns (sode)
• 1½ cups ambemohor rice, soaked for 30 minutes and drained
• 1 tablespoon oil
• Masala Paste
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• ¼ tablespoon fennel seeds (saunf)
• 1 inch ginger, roughly chopped
• 1 green chilli, broken
• 8-10 fresh coriander sprigs
• ½ medium onion, roughly chopped
• 10-12 garlic cloves
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 2-3 cloves
• 2-3 black peppercorns
• Sode marination
• ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 1½ tablespoons tamarind pulp
• Sode tempering
• 2-3 tablespoons oil
• 4-5 garlic cloves, crushed
• Rice tempering
• 2-3 tablespoons oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 2-3 cloves
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 2-3 black peppercorns
• 1 green cardamom
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 3 cups thin coconut milk
• ½ tablespoon chopped jaggery
• Salt to taste
• 3 tablespoons ghee + to drizzle
• 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves
• 1 fresh coriander sprig to garnish

Method

1. Reserve ¼ cup dried jumbo prawns in a bowl. Take the remaining prawns in another bowl, wash them well, add sufficient water and soak for 10-15 minutes.
2. To prepare the masala paste, put coriander seeds in a grinder jar, add fennel seeds, ginger, green chilli, coriander sprigs, onion, garlic, cinnamon, cloves, black peppercorns and ½ cup water and grind to fine paste.
3. Drain water from dried prawns and transfer into yet another bowl. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder salt and tamarind pulp and mix well.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a non-stick pan, add reserved dried prawns and sauté for 5-6 minutes or till crisp. Allow to cool and transfer in a grinder jar. Grind to fine powder
5. To temper the soaked prawns, heat 2-3 tablespoons oil in a non-stick pan. Add garlic and sauté till golden brown. Add marinated prawns, ¼ cup water and cook on medium heat for 6-8 minutes.
6. To make the tempering of rice, heat 2-3 tablespoons oil in a deep non-stick pan. Add bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, black peppercorns and green cardamom and sauté till fragrant. Add onion and sauté till golden brown.
7. Add the ground masala paste and sauté for 5-6 minutes or till oil separates.
8. Add turmeric powder and red chilli powder and mix well. Add drained rice and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
9. Add coconut milk and mix well. Once the mixture comes to a boil, add jaggery, salt and dried prawn powder and mix well.
10. Once the moisture dries up, switch off the heat for 5 minutes.
11. Switch on the heat, add the cooked dried prawns and mix well.
12. Drizzle 2 tablespoons ghee, cover and cook for 5-6 minutes on medium heat.
13. Sprinkle coriander leaves, drizzle 1 tablespoon ghee, cover and cook for 5-6 minutes more.
14. Transfer into a serving plate, drizzle some more ghee, garnish with a coriander sprig and serve hot.