Kerala Kanji
Veg
Vegan
A thin, lightly salted rice congee made with red matta rice, cooked until the grains bloom and the water turns starchy and opaque. Kerala's restorative breakfast, served hot with coconut chutney, pappadam, and pickles — the foundational morning meal before the region's snack culture took over.
Cuisines
Travancore
Kerala
Kerala Christian
Malabar
Best for
Breakfast
Lunch
Recipe
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 40 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 1 cup | parboiled rice |
| 6 cups | water |
| 1 teaspoon | salt |
| 1 cup | grated coconut |
| 2 tablespoons | coconut oil |
| 1 teaspoon | mustard seeds |
| 1 teaspoon | cumin seeds |
| 2 cloves | garlic, sliced |
| 5 leaves | curry leaves |
| 1 | small onion, sliced |
Instructions
- 1 Wash the parboiled rice thoroughly and drain.
- 2 In a large pot, bring 6 cups of water to a boil.
- 3 Add the rice and salt to the boiling water.
- 4 Cook on medium heat until the rice is soft and slightly mushy, stirring occasionally.
- 5 In a separate pan, heat coconut oil over medium heat.
- 6 Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds to the oil and let them splutter.
- 7 Add sliced garlic, curry leaves, and sliced onion to the pan.
- 8 Sauté until the onions are golden brown.
- 9 Add the grated coconut to the pan and sauté for another 2 minutes.
- 10 Pour the coconut mixture over the cooked rice and mix well.
- 11 Serve hot.
Tips
For a richer taste, add a pinch of fenugreek seeds while tempering.