Kanji (Rice gruel)

People from Kerala are mockingly called “Kanji” by fellow Tamilians :). I think it all dates back to a story when Tamil Nadu had famine, we send them ‘kanji’. Now don’t get ideas and call me kanji L.G :-) (My tamilian friends always do that!!Grr)

Kanji is simple rice gruel which is enjoyed by the poor and the rich equally in Kerala. It is a comforting food which is eaten as breakfast/dinner. Normally people don’t have it for lunch since it is very light.(Even the Italians have a version of Kanji too! – called risotto. Elsewhere in the world, it is called congee.

I am happy to note that it is derived from the all Malayalee Kanji.)If you google for Kanji, you get this, which is completely different. :-)

Most homes in Kerala have it as dinner, though at my mom’s ancestral home they had it as 10 a.m. breakfast (Yeah, they had two breakfasts, a light one at 6 a.m. and kanji at 10 a.m.!! *snort*).

Kanji is a complete wholesome meal, easily digestible and very nutritious. Ayurveda, India’s ancient medicinal system attributes most of all ailments to the food we eat and the digestive system.

Kanji is one super healer for your digestive system, when you are sick, old, kids etc. Especially at night time when you are supposed to eat light. So mostly, old people have it as their dinner. Most ayurvedic physicians recommend kanji or kanjivellam for your diet when you are sick.

Kanjivellam (or Rice Water strained from par-boiled or double boiled rice) is our home’s standard remedy for everything from sore throat to flu. A little salt is added to the kanjivellam, that’s all.a pic of kanjivellam

Kanji can be had with a lot of accompaniments. Yesterday's fish curry gravy, mango-coconut chutney, a variety of other chutneys especially the grilled coconut chutney, pappadam, pickle especially whole mango pickle, a little shaved coconut etc. – it is up to your imagination for toppings. I love to have it with some left over gravy.

We eat everything else with our hands,but for kanji we need to have a 'spoon'.Before the invention of spoon, people in Kerala (or India?), used this as the use and throw spoon.Quite indigenous aren’t we? Even with all the spoons, my grandfather used to eat Kanji with this until he died. This is made from plavila or Jackfruit trees leaves.Yesterday for dinner we had kanji and I was taking pictures of it, when my husband declared, he is not going to have any more food which has already been photographed! Of course, he is teasing me. He picks up a banana peel or an onion skin and teases me saying, “Hey take a picture of this one, people would like to see this, I am sure.” I am learning to ignore!

To make kanji, par-boiled or double-boiled rice is best, since it should be of a creamy consistency. I use double-boiled red rice. There is also, another variety, broken double-boiled rice (called ‘podiyari kanji’) which is given mostly for fever or cold or for children, since you don’t have to chew on it.

Recipe for two people: ½ cup red double boiled rice (You can use any variety par-boiled rice)½ cup whole green moong beansCook it in minimal water until everything is of mushy consistency. I cook it in a pressure cooker with 3 cups of water. You don’t strain the water from the cooked rice, so make sure you don’t add too much water. Serve hot only.

Some people skip on the moong beans and add rice instead.Moong Beans is called 'kanjipayaru' in Kerala and is a typical addition in Kerala kanji’s (No pun intended!)Add your favorite toppings, a little salt and have a good wholesome meal! What I like best is, it is the quickest wholesome meal one can prepare and you don’t hear any complaints of any curries when they slurp their kanji! Now thats what I call a real Happy Meal!