Sambhariya Rice| Coconut Coriander Vegetable Rice

December 10, 2021 (Last Updated: February 1, 2024)

Oh, what do I say about this absolutely delicious dish Sambhariya Rice?! It is one pot, takes 15 minutes and uses up any vegetable you may have at home. Have you heard of the wonderful Gujarati dish called Sambhariya Shaak? It is a stuffed vegetable made with a fresh coconut, coriander, peanut masala stuffing. We take that stuffing idea and make a quick rice/pulao with it!

This rice dish is probably not traditional but I can assure you that if you try it once, you will love it. It is yet another quick meal that you can make and eat quickly, if working from home. A good change to the regular pulaos and mixed rice we make indeed! For this, any vegetable works – carrots, beans, potato, peas, ivy gourd ( kovakkai or tendli) and also greens like methi, spinach are tasty in this dish! Oh, did I tell you it is VEGAN, GLUTEN FREE and contains no ONION or GARLIC!

In this version, I’ve made with Jeeraga Samba short grained white rice. However, this ‘dish’ can also work with other grains like brown rice, millets, quinoa. Cook grain of choice such that it is not mushy and mix well into the vegetable spice mix!

Sambhariya Rice| Coconut Coriander Vegetable Rice

This rice dish is a quick meal that has an interesting spice mix with coconut, coriander and is delicious to make. It is different to the usual pulaos we make and will be a regular in your kitchen!

Prep Time 20

Servings 2

Ingredients

1 cup cooked grains I have used white jeeraga samba rice, but any grains like basmati, millets, quinoa can be used.
2-3 tsp oil/ghee I use a mix of olive oil and ghee, but it can be made vegan by omitting the ghee.
1 tsp mustard seeds
1-2 tsp white sesame seeds
7-8 curry leaves
3-4 broken red chillies
1 cup mixed vegetables, steamed/cooked any vegetable works, read the notes for options
½ to 1 cup chopped greens of choice – like methi, spinach or kale
1 tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp garam masala

For the coriander coconut spice mix

3 tbsp coconut fresh coconut is preferred but dessicated might work too.
3 tbsp coriander leaves chopped
½ tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp salt

For garnish

1-2 tbsp roasted peanuts for garnish

Instructions

Chop vegetables into small pieces and steam them until just done – potatoes, beans, carrots, tendli/ivy gourd, cauliflower, broccoli can be used. Frozen vegetables like peas and corn can be used to. We can use 1 to 1.5 cups of vegetables + greens for one cup of rice.
Cook grains of your choice and set aside. Make sure it is not clumpy or sticky.
Mix all the ingredients for the coconut coriander mix – the fresh coconut, coriander leaves, red chilli powder, salt and turmeric. Set aside.
To a pan, add oil and once it is hot, add the mustard followed by the red chillies, sesame seeds and curry leaves. Once the mustard and sesame seeds pop, add the methi leaves/spinach leaves and then the vegetables.
Mix well and add the spices – turmeric, red chilli and a little salt. Let the vegetables fully cook, do note they should still have a bite.
Now, add the coconut coriander mix and then the rice. Check for salt and add if required.
Reduce flame to low and close the vessel for 3-5 minutes so the flavours can be absorbed. Ensure flame is low, so the rice doesn't burn.
Add a dash of garam masala and mix well. Optionally, a little sugar and lemon juice can be added too.
Garnish with roasted peanuts and serve. If you do not have roasted peanuts, add raw peanuts along with the mustard and sesame and roast well.

This recipe is inspired from Annuradha Toshniwal’s video here. In this video, she uses fresh vegetables and no greens or peanuts. This recipe is a perfect vehicle for adding any add-ons of your choice. Add cooked chickpeas for additional protein!