Black Rice Dessert / Kavani Arisi

Now-a-days many people have started eating healthy millets and different varieties of rice. This recipe is made from a very healthy rice variety. It is a deep purple-black colored rice called Black Rice or Forbidden Rice. In tamil, it is called kavani arisi. It is a good source of protein, fibre, iron and several antioxidants.

This rice looks like in the picture below. Please remember that it has to be soaked overnight, before cooking.

For this desert recipe, you need the following ingredients

Black rice - 1 cup

Water - 2 1/2 cups used to soak the rice overnight

Sugar - 1 1/2 cups

Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Ghee / Clarified butter - 2 tbsp

To begin with, first wash the rice 2 to 3 times and drain the water. Soak the rice with 2 1/2 cups of water overnight or atleast 10 to 12 hours.

In a large bowl, add the soaked rice and measure 2 1/2 cups of water and add to the rice. You can use the same water that you used to soak the rice. It will be red in color, but it is okay. 

Now put the rice bowl inside and set the instant pot to pressure cook setting and set the cook time to 45 minutes.

Once the pressure releases, remove the rice bowl, and mash it a little bit. While it is still hot, add the sugar, ghee, cardamom powder and coconut and give it a nice stir. 

You can increase or reduce the sugar and ghee measurements according to your need. Enjoy this healthy desert!:)

This dish is one of the important dishes served in Chettinad weddings. 

If you want to buy this rice, you can find it in shops like Asian Markets, Trader Joe's or online shops. It maybe named as Black Rice  / Forbidden Rice. 

Some helpful pointers - 

1. Please click the link to learn more about the health benefits of Black rice, .

2. This dish is traditionally made with normal white sugar. You may substitute it with light brown sugar or raw sugar. But, jaggery or palm jaggery may not be a good substitute.

3. If the rice is not soaked properly, it will not cook to a soft and mushy consistency.

4. If you are using pressure cooker to cook the rice, place a stand inside the cooker, then place the rice with the same amount of water in the recipe above and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. If the rice is not fully cooked, you will be able to see that there is excess water in the cooked rice.

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