Karuveppilai or Curry Leaves are an integral part of any South Indian kitchen. It is this humble leaf that gives the much praised flavor kick to any South Indian dish. As much as it is a flavorful herb, not many people eat curry leaves. I for one realized its magic only after I began cooking in my own kitchen. It has a wealth of nutrients and is very good for health too. In order to make everyone love the flavor of curry leaves, make it as a simple one pot rice – Karuveppilai Sadam or Curry Leaves Rice.

It is perfect for a simple lunch or even for lunch boxes. I prepared a spice powder using curry leaves and then in turn mixed it with tempered rice. So for those busy weekday mornings, this recipe works great especially since the spice mix can be prepared well in advance. I used gingelly oil (also known as virgin sesame oil) which made this rice extremely delicious. I served it up with some potato fry and fryums – follow me on Instagram to see every day food updates 🙂

How to make Karuveppilai Sadam

📖 Recipe

Karuveppilai Sadam Recipe with Step by Step Pictures

For Curry Leaves Spice Powder:

  1. In a thick bottomed pan, add urad dal, chana dal, cumin/jeera, black pepper and dried red chillies.

  2. On low flame, dry roast everything until golden brown and remove it onto a plate.

  3. In the same pan, add washed curry leaves.

  4. On low flame dry roast the curry leaves until fragrant and devoid of any moisture. Remove it onto a plate.

  5. Let this mixture cool down completely.

  6. In a mixer jar, add all the dry roasted ingredients along with asafoetida and salt as needed.

  7. Blend it smooth. Set this aside.

For Karuveppilai Sadam/Curry Leaves Rice

  1. In a small pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add mustard seeds, urad dal and peanuts. Fry until peanuts are golden brown. Add asafoetida and remove from heat.

  2. Add this tempering to the cooked and cooled down rice.

  3. Gently mix the rice and add salt if already not added to it while cooking.

  4. Add 3-4 tablespoon of prepared curry leaf spice mix.

  5. Add remaining 1 tablespoon of gingelly/sesame oil.

  6. Mix it well until there are no white grains of rice.

  7. Serve hot with roasted potatoes and fryums.

Recipe Notes

The spice powder might be little extra for the rice. Store it in an air tight and it stays fresh for over a month. Adjust the quantity of black pepper corns and dried red chillies as per spice preference. Cashews can be used instead of peanuts for a rich version. If sesame oil is not available, use regular cooking oil or ghee.

I would be delighted to know if you have tried this recipe, don’t forget to share your feedback and comments below. If you have any questions, you can e-mail me! I am also available on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter 🙂