What is Ellogarai / Ellu Saadam
Ellaogarai is a classic Tamilian dish . Ogarai / Ohre / Odharai means flavoured / tempered rice.. PuLi (tamarind) + ogarai = Puliyogarai (tamarind flavoured rice). Similarly Ellu (sesame) + ogarai = Ellogarai (sesame seeds flavoured rice)..
All these tempered rice varieties are served at South Indian Tamil Temples as prasadam / Naivedyam (offering to Gods) and also made at home during festivals and occasions. I credit my grand mom (Paati) completely for having introduced us to these delicacies..
Ellu Saadam or Ellogarai is a Temple Style Prasadam or offering made in South Indian Homes and/ or Temples. It is a Gluten Free, Vegan Spiced Rice made with sesame seeds.
Where / When is it usually made?
Ellogarai was (is) usually made in the month of Purattasi (around Sep – Oct) on Saturdays at our place. This is a completely Satvik (no onion-no garlic) Quick rice dish, and as it is made for Naivedyam (offering to God), fresh rice is used. But if you have to make this for only an early morning lunch box, even pre-cooked rice (cooked well and cooled can be used)
We also make this during Navratri as one of the rice offerings of the day along with Sundal (legume salad / legume stir fry) that is offered to the Goddess.
Other Naivedyam (offering to God) dishes that can be made quickly are
Prep time : 10 mins | Cook time : 20 mins | Serves : 3
Recipe Type : South Indian, Main Course / Festival recipes
(You may make this with pre-cooked and cooled rice, but as I was making it for Naivedyam / offering to God, I made the rice from scratch – either way make sure the rice is fluffed up with separate grains)
Ingredients:
- Rice – 1 cup
- Salt – to taste
- Oil – 3 TBSP (pref Sesame Oil as it gives authentic taste)
Spice Powder:
- Til / Sesame seeds (white) – 3 TBSP
- Black Sesame seeds – 1 TBSP (optional)
- Hing / Asafoetida – a generous pinch (1/4 tsp)
- Urad Dal / Split black gram – 3 tsp
- Dry copra grated – 2 TBSP
- Channa Dal – 1 tsp
- Dry red chillies – 3 (adjust spice)
- Oil – 1 TBSP
Tempering:
- Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
- Urad dal – 1/2 tsp
- Cashewnuts – few
- Broken red chillies – 1 or 2
- Curry leaves – few
PIN FOR LATER
Method to make Ellogarai
- Cook rice, fluff it nicely and spread in a large flat plate. Drizzle 1 TBSP oil into it and leave aside.
- In a dry pan roast the sesame seeds till it splutters (take care not to burn it). Transfer to a plate and cool. Similarly dry roast the copra (dry coconut) for 10 secs and transfer to another plate.
- Add 1 TBSP oil, and roast the Urad Dal, Channa Dal, Red chillies one by one. Cool in a plate.
- Grind the dals and chillies first to a coarse powder. Now add sesame seeds and copra and hing and blitz it just once in a spice grinder (don’t over do it as the sesame and copra would leave behind oil)
- In a non stick pan, add oil for tempering. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal curry leaves, broken red chillies and cashewnuts. Once the cashew and urad dal turn golden brown, add the ground spice mixture and salt on a low flame. After two minutes, turn off the heat and add the cooked rice and toss well.
- Serve immediately or with fried papads. I served it with Pineapple Cucumber Raita for a sumptuous Sunday Brunch.
Ellu Saadam | Ellogarai | Temple Style Sesame flavoured Rice
Equipment
- 1 Pressure Cooker Can also use Instant Pot / Open Pot to cook the Rice
- 1 Kadai thick pan
- 1 Spice Grinder
Ingredients
Base
- 1 cup Rice Any Short grained, non aromatic, non glutinous rice would do
- 1 tsp Salt
- 3 TBSP Sesame Oil pref Sesame Oil as it gives authentic taste
Spice Powder
- 3 TBSP Sesame seeds Ellu,white
- 1 TBSP Black Sesame seeds optional
- 1/4 tsp Asafoetida Hing, skip for GF
- 3 tsp Split black gram Urad dal / Ulutham Paruppu – 3 tsp
- 2 TBSP Dry Coconut grated
- 1 tsp Bengal Gram Channa Dal/ Kadalai Paruppu
- 3 Dry red chillies
Tempering
- Oil – 1 TBSP
- 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp Split black gram Urad dal
- 1 tbsp Cashewnuts Halved
- 2 red chillies broken into pieces
- 1 sprig Curry leaves
Instructions
- Cook rice, fluff it nicely and spread in a large flat plate. Drizzle 1 TBSP oil into it and leave aside.
- In a dry pan roast the sesame seeds till it splutters (take care not to burn it). Transfer to a plate and cool. Similarly dry roast the copra (dry coconut) for 10 secs and transfer to another plate.
- Add 1 TBSP oil, and roast the Urad Dal, Channa Dal, Red chillies one by one. Cool in a plate.
- Grind the dals and chillies first to a coarse powder. Now add sesame seeds and copra and hing and blitz it just once in a spice grinder (don’t over do it as the sesame and copra would leave behind oil)
- In a non stick pan, add oil for tempering. Splutter mustard seeds, urad dal curry leaves, broken red chillies and cashewnuts. Once the cashew and urad dal turn golden brown, add the ground spice mixture and salt on a low flame. After two minutes, turn off the heat and add the cooked rice and toss well.
- Serve immediately or with fried papads.
Looks so delicious. My favourite too!
looks fabulous Kalyani, i know so many rice varieties and yet am always running out of choices when i need to plan my dinner….this kind of recipes are life saviours as they are simple to make and yet full of flavors
I like the addition of spice powder to the rice..it will make it really flavour ful..and give it a nutty taste. We normally do not add such spices..bookmarking.
Kalyani, never knew about the word..thanks..:)..and ellu sadam is such a flavoursome one meal …
Sesame rice always goes to my favourite foods list, delicious one pot meal.
Sesame rice looks absolutely tempting and I can imagine the flavors. Thanks for the wonderful introduction Kalyani !
Very tempting Kalyani!
Very flavorful rice dish,perfect for kids lunch box ..
Looks great and yummm..
Wow! Looks like I am making this soon.
Sesame rice looks flavorful. I want to try this rice.
That is a nice one for a quick and tasty meal.
Love this super flavorful sesame rice.
what a flavorful rice
An interesting recipe. I’ve not tried sesame rice but definitely looks so inviting. Will give it a try during the Navratri festival.
thanks Mayuri, do try. Am sure you would like it
Sesame rice looks rice. It is usually made during festive season at my place too.
thanks jayashree, Ellina Chitranna and this are quite differeent, but we enjoy both versions
Ahh! I have tasted sesame rice long ago. Your recipe brings back all the forgotten flavors alive. Will make for the coming festivities.
thank you, Arch! do try
Besh besh… one of my favorite. The freshly roasted and ground ellu pudi makes it a delicious ogre to enjoy with applams
thanks ! we love it with roasted papads too!
Every Saturday my paati used make this meticulously. I domt really know how she managed the huge family and making these delicious meals.
yes true., same here, esp in purattasi maasam this was a standard fare !