Curry Leaves Rice is a delicious twist to traditional rice. Karivepaku Annam is an easy rice dish with amazingly delicious flavours. No more boring white rice…this easy rice recipe definitely changes the game! With just a few simple ingredients, you can transform plain rice into a flavour-packed meal!
Curry Leaves Rice—also known as Karivepaku Annam in Telugu and Karuveppilai Sadam in Tamil—is a fragrant, nourishing, and unbelievably simple South Indian curry leaves rice recipe that delivers temple-style flavor in minutes.
If you’re searching for easy rice recipes Indian, a quick lunch box idea, or a flavoured rice dish that’s both healthy and comforting, then this curry leaves rice South Indian style is exactly what you need. Packed with fresh curry leaves, roasted lentils, pepper, and sesame seeds, every spoonful bursts with earthy aroma and nutrition.
While plain white rice is a classic, it can sometimes be fun to liven it up with different seasonings and add-ins. Rice seasoned with curry leaf powder is a quick way to add flavour to white rice. It is super tasty, simple to make, and ready in minutes.
🌿 What Are Curry Leaves?
Curry leaves (Karivepaku/Karuveppilai) are aromatic leaves used widely in South Indian cooking. They come from the curry leaf plant (Murraya koenigii) and are known for their lemony, earthy fragrance that instantly elevates any tempering (tadka).
💚 Health Benefits of Curry Leaves
Curry leaves are more than a flavor enhancer—they’re a powerhouse of nutrients.
✔️ Rich in iron & folate
✔️ Supports liver health
✔️ Helps in digestion & reduces acidity
✔️ Regulates blood sugar levels
✔️ Loaded with antioxidants
✔️ Boosts hair health & reduces hair fall
✔️ May support weight management
A bowl of Curry Leaves Rice is not just delicious—it’s nourishing.
Curry Leaves Rice Recipe:
Curry Leaves Rice is the kind of comfort food that fills your home with an irresistible South Indian aroma the moment it hits the pan. If you love quick rice recipes bursting with flavor, this Karivepaku Annam is a must-try! Using fresh curry leaves, aromatic spices, roasted dals, and ghee, this recipe transforms simple steamed rice into a fragrant, nutrient-rich dish ready in minutes.
Perfect for lunchboxes, busy weeknights, or temple-style prasadam cravings—this Curry Leaves Rice recipe guarantees authentic taste with minimal effort.
I love making rice in this way – seasoned and flavoured with fresh curry leaves. Here’s how to make this curry leaves flavoured rice which comes out beautifully fluffy with an amazing flavour!
- For curry leaves rice, firstly take 3 cups of raw rice and rinse it well till the water runs clear. Drain the water completely.
- Then cook the rice in sufficient water till done, either on stove top or in an electric cooker. Keep aside. (You can also use leftover rice).
- Next wash the curry leaves well and pat them dry.
- Heat a kadai and dry roast the curry leaves for about 3-4 minutes till all the moisture evaporates and they turn crisp. Remove onto a plate and keep aside.
- Add a little oil to the same kadai, put in the urad dal, chana dal and tur dal. Sauté over low heat for a minute and then add whole peppercorns, dry red chillies, sesame seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds and garlic.
- Sauté for a minute.
- Then add grated coconut. Fry till the coconut starts to brown.
- Add the tamarind paste to the roasted ingredients, mix well and turn off the heat. Then add the roasted curry leaves to the kadai.
- Mix well with all the ingredients.
- Allow the roasted ingredients to cool down and then put them in a mixie jar, and grind to a smooth powder. Keep aside.
- The Karivepaku powder is now ready.
- Now, add oil in a wide and deep-bottomed pan. Add the peanuts to the pan and fry till golden brown. Remove and keep aside.
- Next sizzle mustard seeds. Add a pinch of asafoetida and sauté.
- Now add the ground curry leaf powder and mix well.
- Then sprinkle salt and turmeric powder and combine well. Stir in the fried peanuts.
- Finally add the cooked rice and gently mix.
- Drizzle a tablespoon of ghee and remove from heat.
- Transfer to a serving dish.
- Serve Curry Leaf Rice with onion raita and papad.
Love this dish? Check out more delicious Rice Recipes to elevate your everyday cooking, like this cozy Ven Pongal.
🍽 Curry Leaves Rice Serving Suggestions
Curry Leaves Rice pairs beautifully with:
- Yogurt or curd rice
- Fried papad or appalam
- Potato fry or brinjal fry
- Simple cucumber salad
- Pickles like lemon pickle or mango pickle
- Coconut chutney for a Tamil-style meal
Perfect for Indian lunch boxes, potlucks, and festival spreads.
🌿 Variations of Karivepaku Annam
- Curry Leaves Powder Rice (Karivepaku Podi Annam): Use dry curry leaf powder instead of paste—perfect for storing.
- Ghee-Loaded Temple Style Karuveppilai Sadam: Use more ghee for a traditional prasadam taste
- Millets Version: Replace rice with foxtail millet or little millet for a healthier alternative.
- No-Onion No-Garlic Version: Ideal for fasting days and temple offerings.
- Low-Spice Kids Version: Reduce chilies and add roasted peanuts for crunch.
⭐ Tips for Perfect Karuveppilai Sadam
- Use day-old or cooled rice to prevent stickiness.
- Dry roast curry leaves until crisp for deeper flavor.
- Add a spoon of ghee for authentic temple-style aroma.
- Roast dals and peanuts on low flame for even crunch.
- Grind masala to a slightly coarse texture for better taste.
- Ensure tempering is hot before adding rice for best flavor absorption.
- Finish with a sprinkle of sesame powder for a nutty boost (optional).
- Do not overmix—fold the rice gently to keep grains separate.
- Let the rice rest for 5 minutes before serving for enhanced aroma.
🌟 You Might Also Love
- 🍃 Lal Shak Bhaja — A simple yet vibrant Bengali-style sautéed red amaranth packed with flavor and nutrition.
- 🌿 Methi Dal — Comforting, protein-rich dal simmered with fresh fenugreek leaves for earthy, homely goodness.
- 🍆 Neem Begun Bhaja — A traditional Bengali bittersweet delicacy made with neem leaves and crispy fried eggplant.
Karivepaku Annam Recipe details below:
Curry Leaves Rice Recipe - Karivepaku Annam
Ingredients
For Curry Leaf Powder:
- 1 cup packed Curry Leaves
- 1 tbsp urad dal
- 1 tbsp chana dal
- 1 tbsp tur dal
- 1/2 tsp black pepper whole
- ½ tsp sesame seeds
- 1/8 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 pod garlic
- 5 dry red chillies
- 3 tbsp coconut grated
- 1 tsp tamarind paste (optional)
- 1 tbsp oil
For tempering:
- 4 tbsp peanuts
- ¼ tsp asafoetida
- 2 tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 3 tsp salt
- 6 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp ghee
Instructions
- To prepare Karuveppilai Sadam, take three cups of raw rice in a bowl and wash it well. Cook the rice in sufficient water till done and keep aside. You can also use leftover rice.
- Meanwhile, wash the curry leaves thoroughly and pat them dry.
- Heat a pan over low heat and toss in the curry leaves. Roast them till they start to crackle and give out a nice aroma. Remove onto a plate and keep aside.
- Heat a little oil in the same pan and put in the urad dal, chana dal and tur dal. Sauté till they start to get a slight colour on them.
- Then add cumin seeds, peppercorns, fenugreek seeds, sesame seeds, dry red chillies and garlic and sauté for a minute. Add grated coconut and fry till the coconut starts to brown. Then add the tamarind paste, mix well with all the ingredients and turn off the heat. Now add the roasted curry leaves to the pan, combine well and allow to completely cool down.
- Transfer the roasted mixture to a mixie jar and grind to a smooth powder. Keep aside.
- Now heat oil in a kadai and put in the peanuts. Fry them to a golden brown and then remove and keep aside.
- Next temper the oil with mustard seeds and asafoetida. Sauté till the mustard seeds pop.
- Tip in the ground karvepaku powder and sauté for a minute. Mix in the peanuts.
- Sprinkle turmeric powder and salt. Mix well.
- Add the cooked rice and gently mix. Add a blob of ghee on top and remove from heat.
- Serve Karvepaku Annam with onion raita and potato fry.
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