South Indian Herbed Coriander Rice Salad

About This Recipe

This salad draws on South Indian tempered rice dishes like lemon rice and coconut rice, where cooked rice is tossed with a hot oil tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and dried chilies rather than a cold dressing. Here, a coriander-mint paste is folded through the rice for color and freshness, closer to the logic of coriander chutney than a typical Western herb dressing. The tempering, or tadka, is what gives South Indian rice dishes their signature crunch and aroma: mustard seeds popped in hot oil until they crackle, followed by urad dal fried until golden, curry leaves, and dried red chilies, all poured sizzling over the rice. Skipping this step, or under-heating the oil so the mustard seeds don't pop, leaves the dish tasting flat. Roasted peanuts scattered on top add crunch and a nutty contrast to the herb paste's freshness, and the salad is traditionally served at room temperature, making it a good option for packed lunches or potlucks since it holds up well outside the fridge for a few hours.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 3 cupcooked basmati or sona masoori rice, cooled
• 1 cupcilantro leaves
• 0.5 cupmint leaves
• 2 wholegreen chilies
• 1 tbsplemon juice
• 3 tbspoil
• 1 tspmustard seeds
• 1 tbspurad dal (split black lentils)
• 10 leafcurry leaves
• 2 wholedried red chilies
• 0.5 tspturmeric
• 0.33 cuproasted peanuts
• 1 tspsalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the herb paste

   Blend cilantro, mint, green chilies, and lemon juice with a splash of water into a smooth, thick paste.

2. 2

   Toast the turmeric

   Toss the cooked, cooled rice with turmeric and salt until evenly colored.

3. 3

   Make the tempering

   Heat oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let them pop, then add urad dal, frying until golden. Add curry leaves and dried chilies, frying until crisp, about 1 minute.

4. 4

   Combine

   Pour the sizzling tempering over the turmeric rice and toss to distribute evenly.

5. 5

   Fold in the herb paste

   Add the herb paste to the rice and toss gently until evenly coated, being careful not to mash the rice grains.

6. 6

   Serve

   Top with roasted peanuts and serve at room temperature.

Variations

• •

  Add grated fresh coconut for a South Indian coconut-herb rice hybrid.

• •

  Swap the herb paste for a simple lemon and turmeric dressing for a plain lemon rice.

• •

  Add cashews fried in the tempering oil instead of, or alongside, the peanuts.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days; bring to room temperature or gently reheat before serving, as the rice firms up when chilled.

Frequently Asked Questions