Jeera Kanji | Rice porridge with Cumin seeds

I had little bit of difficulty in finalising a recipe for J. I Identified J for Jeeragam - cumin seeds long back but then had to zero in on a recipe that has jeeragam as the main ingredient. That is when I came across this Jeera Kanji or Jeeraga Kanji - cumin flavoured rice porridge.

I first saw this recipe in Pachakam website but then came across many versions of this recipe. So I read many blogs and finalized on a recipe on my own based on our taste. The kanji came out spectacular. H liked it very much and has asked me to repeat this.

Jeera Kanji would be ideal during the monsoon days when it is pouring outside!! I understood from many blogs that this is a ramadan special dish and muslims often make this in the evenings to break their fast. You can pair this with just pickles and some fryums or a mezhukku puratti.

But for us we didn't need any side dish. It was simple and delicious on its own.

Ingredients:

Broken rice / Podiyari – 1/2 cup (You can use basmati rice/kaima/ jeerakashala rice instead)
Moong dal / Pacha Payaru - 1 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds / uluva – 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Water – As required
Salt – To taste
Pepper Powder - 1 tsp

To grind:
Grated coconut – 3/4  cup
Cumin seeds / jeerakam – 1/2 tsp
Garlic pods – 1 – 2

To Temper:
Ghee / coconut oil (ghee preferred) – 2  tsp
Shallots – 3, thinly sliced

Method:

• Wash the rice and dal well. In a pressure cooker add the rice, dal and fenugreek seeds. Add salt and turmeric powder and add 3.5 cups of water and pressure cook for about 3 whistles.
• Grind the coconut, cumin seeds and garlic pods coarsely.
• Chop the shallots to very fine pieces and keep aside.
• Once the pressure is released open the cooker and mash the cooked rice well. Add the ground coconut and mix well. Cook for  3 – 4 minutes, check salt. 
• Heat ghee in a small pan. Add sliced pearl onions and fry until brown. Pour over the kanji. Cover with a lid for 5mts. Mix well and serve hot.
• Sprinkle pepper powder while serving.

Server hot with some pickles and papads!!!

Notes:

• If you want the porridge in a pouring consistency add more water.
• The original recipes did not add moong dal. I added it of my own choice.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 63

An InLinkz Link-up