Rice Soup - Kanjiyum Payarum

Kanji means different things to different people. Coming from Kerala, this is a delicious meal for me. For my Tamil Nadu husband, this is the meal to have only when you get sick. Since we can’t seem to agree, I hardly cook this.

Thankfully, now a days lunch times are pretty much just ‘me time’. Lunch for husband and kiddo is a tiny, compressed lunch box affair. Where as for me, its the time to unleash my creative side – by coming up with ideas to avoid cooking! 

This simple Kanji fits in the bill. Simple to make, but delicious beyond description. It screams ‘HOME’ to me. Served with a dose of love, its simply the best meal possible.

But serve it with Payaru and Chammanthi, it will taste even better!

Ingredients:

• Rice                      :          1/2 cup (preferably Kerala red rice)
• Water                   :          3 cups

For Payaru:

• Green gram       :          1/2 cup
• Coconut              :          2 tbsp
• Green Chilli       :          1
• Cumin seeds     :          1/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds :          1/2 tsp
• Red Chilli           :          1
• Oil, salt

Method:

1. Wash and clean the rice. Cook in a pressure cooker with 3 cups of water (5-6 times the amount of rice) till the rice is well cooked. Its fine if the rice is slightly over cooked. Do not drain the excess water.
2. Add salt and serve with payaru and chammanthi.
3. For payaru, pressure cook the whole green gram in one cup of water for 2-3 whistles. Grind the coconut, jeera, chilli together.
4. Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and red chilli. Add the cooked whole green gram and salt. Add the ground coconut and mix till everything is well combined. Serve with Kanji.
5. For chammanthi, grind 1/4 cup coconut with 1/2 tsp jeera, salt, one red chilli and a very small piece of tamarind. Do a taste test and add/adjust accordingly. Serve with Kanji.

Linked to:

• Blogging Marathon (under Soups and Salads theme)
• Soups and Salads Mela

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