Pudina Annam — Tempered Mint Podi Rice

Pudina Annam made this way is a different thing altogether — the Minty Pudina Podi goes into a hot mustard-curry leaf tadka first, so the mint and tamarind open up in the ghee and coat every grain of rice the way pulihora does. It is light, aromatic, and mildly sharp, with that distinct pudina coolness running through warm annam. One pan, one podi, ten minutes.

Prep: 5 min  |  Cook: 10 min  |  Serves: 2  |  Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 2 heaped tsp  Minty Pudina Podi (MPP)
• 2 cups  cooked rice (annam), hot and fluffy
• 1.5 tsp  ghee (neyyi)
• 1/2 tsp  mustard seeds (aavalu)
• 8-10  curry leaves (karivepaku)
• 1  dried red chilli, broken in half
• a pinch  turmeric (pasupu)
• salt to taste  salt
• 1 tsp (optional)  roasted peanuts, for crunch

Method

1. Heat ghee in a kadai on medium flame until it shimmers — not smoking.
2. Add mustard seeds and wait for them to splutter, then drop in the curry leaves and broken dried red chilli. The leaves will crackle and the kitchen will smell sharp and clean.
3. Reduce the flame to low, add the Minty Pudina Podi and turmeric directly into the tadka. Stir quickly for 20 to 30 seconds — the podi will darken slightly and become fragrant. Do not let it burn.
4. Add the hot cooked rice in two batches, folding it gently through the spiced ghee so every grain picks up the mint-tamarind coating. Work from the bottom up, like you would with pulihora.
5. Taste for salt and adjust. If using peanuts, scatter them over now for a light crunch.
6. Serve hot, on its own or with a small bowl of perugu (curd) on the side.

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✓ High Protein  |  ✓ High Fibre  |  ✓ Rich in Calcium  |  ✓ Source of Potassium