Karamani rice is my weeknight one-pot rescue — black-eyed peas and rice pressure-cooked in a tangy tomato-onion base with sambar powder. I soak the karamani for a few hours first; it cooks so much more evenly, and nobody wants one hard pea in a soft pot of rice.
The finish is what makes it: a spoon of ghee stirred through at the end carries all that sambar-powder aroma, and a handful of fresh coriander brightens the whole thing. Fluff it gently so the grains stay separate.
Pairs well with: Lemon Coriander Rice, Tomato Pongal and Suraikai Karamani Kootu.
Karamani Rice Recipe
Karamani Rice
Hearty South Indian rice cooked with tender karamani, tangy tomato, sweet onion, and warming sambar powder in a fragrant mustard-seed tempering.
4
servings15
minutes20
minutesIngredients
Rice – 1 cup
Karamani – 1/2 cup
Tomato – 2
Onion – 1
Green Chilies – 2
Garlic flakes – 4 to 5
Sambar powder – 1 teaspoon
Turmeric Powder – 2 pinches
Ghee – 1 teaspoon
Oil – 2 to 3 tablespoons
Mustard – 1/2 teaspoon
Urad Dal – 1 Teaspoon
Bengal gram dal – 1 teaspoon
Red Chilies – 2
Asafoetida Powder – 2 Pinches
Curry Leaves – few
Coriander Leaves – few
Salt – 1 teaspoon or as per taste
Directions
- Soak Karamani in water for about 3 to 4 hours.
- Wash and soak the rice for half an hour.
- Chop the onion, tomato and garlic flakes finely.
- Slightly slit the green chilies.
- In a pressure cooker heat the oil. Add mustard and when it starts crackling add Bengal gram dal, urad dal and red chillies. Fry till the dals turn light brown.
- Add chopped onion, garlic and curry leaves. Fry for few seconds.
- Add chopped tomato, green chillies along with little salt and fry till the tomato mashed well.
- Add Sambar power, turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt. Mix well.
- Add the soaked Karamani and mix it well. Add 3 cups of water and stir well.
- Allow to boil. When it starts boiling vigorously, add the soaked rice. Stir well.
- Add a teaspoon of ghee now.
- Close with the lid and cook for 3 to 4 whistles.
- Once the pressure is reduced, open the cooker and gently flip the rice.
- Garnish with coriander leaves.
Notes
- Soak black-eyed peas 4–6 hours (or overnight) so they cook through in the same time as the rice.
- Don’t skip the ghee at the end — it blooms the sambar powder and keeps the rice from tasting flat.
- If the rice looks wet after pressure cooking, rest it 10 minutes with the lid ajar; it firms up.
- Leftovers pack brilliantly for lunch; sprinkle a little water and reheat covered.