Coconut Fried Rice

First time we tasted an yummy yummy coconut rice at a Punjabi Dhaba while travelling to Shirdi from Hyderabad. That was the best coconut rice I ever had in my life. I still remember it's aroma and taste and the recipe I am providing is just a small portion of what I got from that Dhaba. Kudos to the tastiest Indian Dhabas, especially the ones AP Tourism buses stops during long journeys. The rice will be tastier if the coconut is sweet.

Ingredients:

Freshly grated coconut - 1.5 cups (for 4 cups of Basmati rice)

Ginger-Galic paste - 1/4 tsp

Cloves + Cinnamon + Cardamom pods (CCC) - 4no. + 1/4" stick + 2 no.

Dry red chillies - 4 finely chopped (or as required)

Salt - as required

Cashews - as required

Coconut milk - 1/2 cup (optional)

Curry leaves - 2 stems

Coriander leaves - finely chopped (for garnishing)

Oil - 4 tsps

Basmati rice - 4 cups

Water - 5+1/2 cups, if used by itself (if we are using coconut milk, we can reduce the water quantity accordingly)

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add CCC and fry for 2mins. Fry curry leaves.
2. Add red chillies and ginger garlic paste and fry for another 2mins. Add cashews and fry till they turn golden brown.
3. Now add the coconut and fry until done, include salt as required.

Cook the basmati rice(soaked in water for 20mins) seperately and mix it with the above prepared coconut mix and adjust salt accordingly. Garnish with coriander leaves.