Learn how to Prepare Nuvvula Annam(Sesame Rice)

Nuvvula Annam is a spicy, nutty and flavorful rice dish. A good option for lunch box. it with Yogurt or raita on the side, it is a comfort meal.

This one is a popular offering to the Goddess during Saddula bathukamma celebrations in few parts of Telangana. It is one of the 5 rice dishes offered to the Goddess Gauri and it is called nuvvula saddi.

Sesame seeds are a staple in Telangana kitchens. It goes into curries like Vankaya Koora, ulligada ukkera, gravies such as mirchi ka salan and Vankaya masala and even in chutneys and pickles.

Nuvvula annam preparation is easy, you can also include them in your weekday's menus. You can also have them during the weeknight dinners and for long road trips. It is even a great choice for lazy day.

Which seeds to use?

Nuvvulu comes in three colors, black, brown and white. We tend to use the brown seeds a lot. Both black and brown sesame is unhulled and has most nutrients compared to white sesame.

Ingredients needed

Rice: You can use basmati rice or sona masoori or any rice variety, which you normally use for your daily consumption.

Sesame seeds: You can use brown or black for its nutrition value. If you like the nutty flavor, you can adjust the quantity for milder flavor.

Dry Red chillies: These are the main source of spice. Depending on how the hot chillies are, one can adjust the quantity accordingly. You can very substitute it with chilli powder.

The cumin and curry leaves are optional for the spice mix.

Ghee and/oil: one can use ghee for tempering for added flavorful, but you can always combine both oil and ghee as well.

Tempering: Mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, turmeric powder and maybe even a red chilli.

Step by step process

Preparation has got 4 steps. Cook the rice separately. Prepare the sesame seed, spice mix, mix it with rice, prepare tadka and mix it with rice. If you have roasted sesame seeds or powder handy, one can skip spice mix preparation and use that powder and chilli powder.

First step : Start cooking rice with 1:1 ¾ cup rice to water ratio or which ratio, you normally cook the rice. Then transfer it to a wide bowl or a plate and allow the rice to cool. Then prepare the spice mix. You can also wash the sesame seeds but this step is optional, if there is no dirt in it, you can skip this step.

Seeds must easily crush when pressed between the finger. Cool the mixture in a plate. Take the mixture in a mixie jar or a spice jar and then grind to a coarse powder.

Prepare the tadka (tempering) with ghee or combination of Ghee/butter+oil. Add cumin, mustard and curry leaves to hot ghee.

When seeds pop, add turmeric and even a red chilli. When chilli turns brown turn off the flame.

Once the rice cools, mix it with sesame mixture and salt. Pour hot or cold tadka over rice, mix and let it rest for about 15 to 30 minutes for the flavors to infuse.

Serve

Once the rice cools, mix it with sesame mixture and salt. Pour hot or cold tadka over rice, mix and let it rest for about 15 to 30 minutes for the flavors to infuse.

Serve ellu sadam or nuuvvula annam with yogurt or raita on the side. You can also pair the rice with chicken shorva or mutton shorva.

Variation

1. To enhance the flavor, you can little bit of coconut powder . You can also use half to one tablespoon of coconut flakes. You can roast the flakes for few seconds and allow it cool and then add to the rice.

2. The above recipe is no garlic recipe, but if you do not have diet restriction and you are not adding them as prasadam to the diety. You can also add some crushed garlic in the tadka.

3. For additional protein, you can roast 2 to 3 tablespoons peanut in tadka.

Tips

1. Rice must be grainy and do not try to over cook

2. Roast the nuvvulu on the medium flame

3. Prepare the spice mix, store it for few days and use when needed. This really comes in handy on the busy days.