Easy Coconut Onion Rice Recipe for Bachelor Life

There are times when you do not particularly feel like being in the kitchen for long but want to have a hot, delicious meal that satisfies the belly. That's exactly when this Coconut Onion Rice saves the day. Food blogger Malvika Hada Kumar swears by this dish—and honestly, once you have it, you know why.

What You'll Need

To make the masala:

• 1 tsp oil
• 1/4 cup peanuts
• 2–3 Kashmiri dry red chillies
• 5–6 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup fresh or desiccated coconut
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds

For the rice base:

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/4 tsp hing (asafoetida)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp urad dal
• 1 tsp chana dal
• 1/4 cup peanuts
• 4–5 cashews, halved
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 2–3 dry red chillies
• 2 green chillies, slit
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 cups cooked rice (cooled)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1–2 tbsp ghee
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander

How to Make It

Begin with the masala. Roast the peanuts in a small pan with oil until golden. Add the chillies, garlic, coconut, and sesame seeds. Toast everything until aromatic. Once it has cooled, grind it into a slightly coarse powder. Don't over-blend; a little texture is fine.

In a different pan, heat oil. Fry a few peanuts again (for crunch), and then add mustard seeds, urad dal, and chana dal. Once they all begin to brown, add hing, cashews, curry leaves, and red and green chillies. Add it all and give a quick stir, and add the chopped onions and let them cook until they soften.

Now, add in your ground masala and sauté for a minute. Finally, toss in the rice, squeeze in the lemon juice, add a bit of salt and ghee, and give it all a good mix. Garnish with coriander, and you're done.

Why You'll Love It

This one is ideal for practically any day of the week—whether you're working from home, packing a lunchbox, or trying to use up leftover rice from dinner last night. You don't require anything special, but the flavor? Rich, comforting, slightly spicy, and so satisfying.

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A post shared by Malvika Hada Kumar | Recipe Developer (@thespicystory)

Pair it with a bowl of curd or some raita, and you have a meal that's hearty as well as wholesome—with little effort.