Photo: Medhi jyoti · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Tamilnadu · Breakfast

Verkadalai Sadam (வேர்க்கடலை சாதம்)

Traditional 53. Verkadalai Sadam recipe

🧺 Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked rice (leftover, cooled)
• ½ cup raw peanuts (or roasted unsalted peanuts)
• 3 tbsp fresh coconut, grated (optional but recommended)
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp urad dal
• 10 curry leaves
• 3 dried red chilies, broken
• 2 green chilies, finely minced
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
• Adjust red chili quantity to preference; the Tirunelveli version uses 5+ dried red chilies for intense heat

👩‍🍳 How to make Verkadalai Sadam

1. In a dry pan over medium heat, dry roast raw peanuts for 4–5 minutes, stirring continuously, until the skins blister and crack and the peanuts smell nutty and toasty.
2. Cool slightly.
3. Rub between palms to remove skins (optional — skin-on peanuts add a slightly bitter note that some prefer).
4. Keep ¾ of peanuts whole; roughly crush remaining ¼ in a mortar to create a peanut powder that will coat the rice.
5. Heat sesame oil in a wide kadai over high heat.
6. Add mustard seeds — crackle for 20 seconds.
7. Add urad dal — fry 30 seconds until golden.
8. Add broken red chilies — fry 10 seconds.
9. Add curry leaves and green chilies — toss 15 seconds.
10. Reduce heat to medium.
11. Add turmeric.
12. Stir 5 seconds.
13. Add grated coconut — toss for 1 minute until coconut is just warmed and slightly toasted (not browned).
14. Reduce heat to low.
15. Add rice and 1 tsp salt.
16. Toss gently and thoroughly with a wide spatula.
17. Add whole roasted peanuts and the crushed peanut powder — the powder coats the grains while the whole peanuts provide crunch.
18. Add lemon juice off heat.
19. Toss.
20. Garnish with coriander.
21. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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