Narali Bhaat / Jaggery Coconut Rice

Narali Poornima marks the end of monsoon season in Maharashtra. It is celebrated on the full moon day of the month of Shravan. People offer coconuts to the sea. This festival marks the beginning of the new fishing season. Fishermen and fishing community (koli) in Maharashtra, worship the sea-god before sailing out over the mighty sea, for a safe fishing by offering coconuts . Hence, this special Narali Bhaat/ Jaggery Coconut Rice which is a traditional, age old dish is made on this day and is prepared mostly in Maharashtrian homes on this day.

Serves: 4 
Ingredients
1 Cup Rice
1.3/4 Cups water
3/4 Cup Packed Jaggery - grated
3/4 Cups Fresh Coconut - grated
1/4 Cup Desi Ghee
3 Cloves
2 Green Cardamoms
1/2 Teaspoon Cardamom powder
12 Cashewnuts - halved
A Pinch Salt

Method

Wash the rice well and keep it to drain in a strainer.

Keep the the water to boil in a pan.

In the meantime heat a heavy bottom pan / kadai with ghee, fry the cashewnuts in the ghee when browned remove and keep aside.

In the same kadai , add the cloves and green cardamoms. Saute for a few seconds. Add the drained rice and 2 tablepsoon coconut fry till rice is light pink. Add boiling water and bring it to a rolling boil, cover with a lid pour water on lid and reduce the flame to low. Keep it to cook for 10 - 15 minutes. Open when you see the rice is cooked and still moist, add a pinch of salt and lightly fluffy it, add the jaggery in a single layer, on top, then the coconut and sprinkle little hot water from the lid. Cover again with the lid with water on it, on low flame let it cook for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes open the lid and lightly stir in the rice so that the jaggery and coconut get well incorporated, again cover and cook it jaggery melts and rice is done, sprinkle the cardamon powder. If you feel it rice is still not done sprinkle little hot water from the lid and again cook it till done on low flame. 

Let it remain covered for 10 minutes without opening the lid. After 10 minutes lightly fluffy the rice with a fork. Serve this rice when warm . Enjoy this delicious grainy sweet rice.

My Notes:

If you want the rice more sweet then increase the jaggery to a cup.  But the quantity used had the just right sweetness.

Labels : Rice, Festival Sweets, Jaggery, Coconut