Ramadan Nombu Kanji - Healthy rice stew

This is a traditional kanji made during the month of Ramadan in my home. Fasting the whole day develops lots of acidity and gastric problem in the stomach. Having this kanji immediately after breaking the fast helps eliminate those problems, as it contains lots of garlic and fenugreek. It can be made either vegetarian or non-vegetarian. Here is a veggie version of the kanji.

Ingredients:

1. Milk or Coconut milk - 1 cup
2. Salt - as needed
3. Cilantro/ Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup

To pressure cook:

1. Raw rice/ Sona Masoori Rice - 50 gm or 1/2 cup
2. Dry Roasted Moong Dhal - 2 tsp
3. Garlic cloves - 10 nos
4. Fenugreek seeds/ Vendhayam - 1 tsp (soaked is better)
5. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

To saute:

1. Shallots - 3 chopped
2. Curry leaves - 6 leaves
3. Slit green chilly - 1 no
4. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
5. Tomato puree - 1 small tomato
6. Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
8. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
9. Fennel powder - 1/4 tsp
10. Oil - 2 tsp
11. Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
12. Pepper powder - a pinch

Method:

1. Wash the rice twice and add it along with all the ingredients under "To pressure cook" in a pressure cooker. Add about 3 cups of water.
2. Pressure cook the rice mixture until you get about 12 to 15 whistles or until it is cooked real mushy.
3. After the pressure has settled down, mash the rice mixture well.

                                                                        Mashed rice

4. While the rice is getting pressure cooked, heat Oil in a pan. Add curry leaves, green chillies. Once it splutters, add the shallots and saute till they turn golden brown.
5. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes for about 3 mins.
6. Add the tomato puree and all the spice powders and the salt needed for the kanji. Saute till the oil separates on top.

                                                                      Sauteed mixture


4. Add the sauteed mixture and the milk to the mashed rice. Add water as needed to bring it to a soup consistency. Adjust salt if needed. Also add the coriander leaves. Bring it to a boil by stirring it continuously to prevent burning.
5. Serve hot in soup bowls.

This is a very healthy kanji as it contains fenugreek, cumin and lots of garlic. So my mom makes it every sunday for breakfast along with some masala vadai. So we take a bit and have a sip :) You can also add chopped carrots, mutton or chicken kheema and cook them when sauteing the masala. It tastes really good. The traditional recipe has coconut milk. But I use normal cow's milk as a healthy version. It tastes equally good. Try out and let me know :)

Sending this recipe to the event "Joy from Fasting to Feasting -IV" hosted by Kitchen Flavors.