Ellu sadam recipe with step by step pics. An easy and delicious rice recipe made with ground sesame seeds. This sesame rice recipe is known as ellu sadam in Tamil language where Ellu means sesame seeds and Sadam means rice. Many rice varieties are made in South Indian households and this is one such staple rice variety. A vegan recipe.
The recipe to make ellu sadam is similar in every home with a few variations here and there. I make sesame rice following the recipe method from Samaithu paar by Meenakshi Ammal. This book is one of the best reference points for Tamil Brahmin cooking. The set of three volumes were gifted to me by a dear reader and I will always cherish this gift.
Making ellu sadam is easy and very simple. In this post I have shown the method of cooking the rice. You can cook rice in a pressure cooker or in a pan. Cook rice the way you cook it adding the required amount of water.
You can use any type of rice like white or brown rice. I have used hand pounded sona masuri rice. Even both white sesame seeds or black sesame seeds can be used. I always prefer to use unpolished sesame seeds, but you can use polished sesame seeds also.
Sesame seeds are heaty and healthy too. Its good to include them in your food during winters or cold seasons.
Ellu sadam can be served as a main course or as a side dish. To make a big batch you can easily double or triple this recipe.
Step-by-Step Guide
How to make Ellu Sadam
1. Rinse 1 cup of rice a couple of times in water and then soak in enough water for 20 minutes.
2. Later drain all the water and add the rice in a stovetop pressure cooker. Also add ½ teaspoon salt or add as required.
3. Add 1.75 to 2 cups water or add as required for regular white rice. If using hand pounded rice then add 2.25 to 2.5 cups of water.
If using brown rice, then add 3 cups water. For brown rice soak for 30 minutes.
4. For white rice, pressure cook for 2 whistles on medium heat. For hand pounded rice, pressure cook for 7 to 8 whistles and for brown rice pressure cook for 10 to 12 whistles on medium heat.
5. When the pressure settles down on its own, then only remove the lid.
6. Take the rice in a large bowl or plate and let the rice grains cool down completely.
Making ellu podi
7. Heat a small pan. Keep the heat to a low. Add 3 tablespoons white sesame seeds. You can also use black sesame seeds or half-half of both white sesame seeds and black sesame seeds.
8. Begin to roast sesame seeds on a low flame stirring non-stop.
9. Roast sesame seeds till they pop and change color. when they have toasted well, remove them in a plate and keep them aside. Let the sesame seeds cool.
10. In the same pan, add 1 teaspoon urad dal (husked and split black gram).
11. On a low heat stirring often, begin to roast urad dal.
12. Roast urad dal till they become light golden.
13. Then add 2 dry red chilies (broken and seeds removed). You can use byadagi or Kashmiri red chilies.
If you want to make a spicy sesame rice, then you can add 3 byadagi or kashmiri red chilies.
14. Stirring often roast red chilies till they change color. This takes some seconds and by this time the urad dal will also turn golden and aromatic. Do make sure not to burn both urad dal or red chilies.
If you want you can roast both urad dal and red chilies separately. Let them cool.
15. In a dry grinder jar or coffee grinder add the roasted urad dal and red chilies. Also, add a pinch of asafoetida.
16. Grind to a semi-fine or fine powder.
17. Add the roasted sesame seeds.
18. Using the pulse option for some seconds, grind the sesame seeds to a fine powder. You can also grind to a semi-fine powder.
Do make sure not to grind at a stretch. No oil should release from the ground sesame seeds powder.
19. Add the sesame seeds powder to the cooked rice.
20. Mix well. If there are any lumps in the rice, then break with a spoon or spatula.
21. Check the taste and if required, you can add some more salt at this step. Mix well again. If using sea salt crystals, then grind the salt crystals with sesame seeds.
Making tempering for ellu sadam
22. Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil (gingelly oil). Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds. If you do not have sesame oil, then you can use sunflower oil or peanut oil.
23. Let the mustard seeds crackle.
24. When the mustard seeds crackle, then add 8 to 10 curry leaves.
25. Switch off the flame and stir.
26. Add all the tempered ingredients in the sesame rice mixture.
27. Mix again.
28. Serve ellu sadam as a main course or as a side dish. You can accompany a South Indian side vegetable dish or even homemade curd with it.
More Tasty Rice recipes
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Ellu Sadam
Sesame rice is an easy and delicious rice recipe made with ground sesame seeds. It is also known as ellu sadam in tamil language where ellu means sesame seeds and sadam means rice.
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 35 mins
for cooking rice
for ellu podi (sesame seeds powder)
for tempering ellu sadam
other ingredient
cooking rice
Rinse 1 cup rice couple of times in water and then soak in enough water for 20 minutes.
Later drain all the water and add the rice in a pressure cooker. Also add ½ teaspoon salt or add as required.
Add 1.75 to 2 cups water or add as required for regular white rice. If using hand pounded rice then add 2.25 to 2.5 cups water. If using brown rice, then add 3 cups water. For brown rice soak for about 30 minutes.
For white rice, pressure cook for 2 whistles on medium flame. For hand pounded rice, pressure cook for 7 to 8 whistles and for brown rice pressure cook for 10 to 12 whistles on medium flame.
When the pressure settles down on its own, remove the lid.
Take the rice in a large bowl or plate and let the rice grains cool down completely.
making ellu podi
Heat a small pan. Keep the flame to a low. Add 3 tablespoons white sesame seeds. You can also use black sesame seeds or half-half of both white sesame seeds and black sesame seeds.
Begin to roast sesame seeds on a low flame stirring non-stop.
Roast sesame seeds till they pop and change color. When they have toasted well, remove them in a plate and keep aside. Let the sesame seeds cool.
In the same pan, add 1 teaspoon urad dal (husked and split black gram).
On a low flame stirring often, begin to roast urad dal.
Roast urad dal till they become light golden.
Then add 2 dry red chilies (broken and seeds removed). You can use byadagi or kashmiri red chilies.
Stirring often roast red chilies till they change color. This takes some seconds and by this time the urad dal will also turn golden and aromatic.
Do make sure not to burn both urad dal or red chilies. If you want you can roast both urad dal and red chilies separately. Let them cool.
In a dry grinder jar or coffee grinder add the roasted urad dal and red chilies. also add a pinch of asafoetida.
Grind to a semi fine or fine powder.
Then add the roasted sesame seeds. using the pulse option for some seconds, grind the sesame seeds to a fine powder. You can also grind to a semi-fine powder. Do make sure not to grind at a stretch. No oil should release from the ground sesame seeds powder.
Add the sesame seeds powder to the cooked rice.
Mix well. If there are any lumps in the rice, then break with spoon or spatula.
Check the taste and if required, you can add some more salt at this step. Mix well again. If using sea salt crystals, then grind the salt crystals with sesame seeds.
making tempering for ellu sadam
Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil (gingelly oil). Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds. If you do not have sesame oil, then you can use sunflower oil or peanut oil.
Let the mustard seeds crackle.
When the mustard seeds crackle, then add 8 to 10 curry leaves. switch off the flame and stir.
Add all the tempered ingredients in the rice mixture. mix again.
Serve ellu sadam as a main course or as a side dish.
- Recipe can be halved or doubled or tripled.
- Use red chilies which are not very hot or pungent.
- For spicy sesame rice, you can add 3 byadagi or kashmiri red chilies.
- For more flavor of sesame seeds, you can add 4 tablespoons.
Nutrition Facts
Ellu Sadam
Amount Per Serving
Calories 334 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 394mg17%
Potassium 204mg6%
Carbohydrates 55g18%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 6g12%
Vitamin A 385IU8%
Vitamin C 96.4mg117%
Calcium 111mg11%
Iron 2.2mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This Ellu Sadam post from the archives first published in January 2018 has been republished and updated on January 2023.
Source: Dassana’s Veg Recipes
