Thuppa Anna

Name: Thuppa Anna
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients: 4 cups cooked Sona Masuri or basmati rice; 1 cup fresh or frozen grated coconut or dried unsweetened shredded coconut; ½ tsp. plus 2 Tbsp. ghee; ¼ cup very coarsely chopped cashews; ½ tsp. black mustard seeds; 1 tsp. urad dal (optional); Pinch of asafetida; 4–5 fresh curry leaves; 1 dried red chile, broken in half; ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more

By Chitra Agrawal

September 22, 2020

Image may contain Plant Food Vegetable and Rice

Photograph by Laura Murray, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich

Stir-frying leftover rice in ghee with spices, curry leaves, and mix-ins such as cashews and fresh coconut elevates a staple into something luxurious. Chitra Agrawal, founder of Indian condiment company Brooklyn Delhi and author of Vibrant India, took flavor inspiration for this simple dish from her mother’s home state of Karnataka in South India, where thuppa means “ghee” and anna means “rice” in Kannada, the local language. It can be eaten on its own or served with crunchy fried pappadam or sandige and hot pickle or achar (we recommend Brooklyn Delhi Tomato Achaar, $12). It’s important to season the rice with plenty of salt; you want it to taste savory to complement the sweetness of the coconut and nuttiness of the ghee and cashews.

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