Coconut Milk Ganji / ಕಾಯಿಹಾಲು ಗಂಜಿ / Rice Porridge

Ganji is a Kannada word for Rice Porridge. It is one of the staple food which keeps your body and mind cool. I have tried this Coconut milk Ganji/Kanji and it tasted superb. The fresh coconut milk ganji is yummy and healthy simply good. Try and enjoy one of the traditional dish from South Canara/Udupi.

In South Canara and around this Kayi Halu Ganji is prepared during Dasara festival at our home. Paddy which is grown is just right to harvest and just before the harvesting we have a custom to prepare rice ganji and samarpan to God. 

The custom we follow @ my aunt place is called HOSATU/ಹೊಸತು ಊಟ . In one of the Dasara day the freshly grown paddy with along with its plant is brought home ( One handful) by a male person of the house and pooja is done. The paddy grass/ಕದಿರು ಕಟ್ಟುವುದು is tied to a pole in the front of the home. A few paddy  husk is removed and add it to cooking ganji. Ganji is nothing but rice porridge. Rice is cooked with more water and eaten as it is. ( Without removing the starch). 

I have used coconut, Sona Masuri raw rice to prepare this Ganji, as we call it in our language Kannada/Karnataka/ India. 

Let us see some benefits of eating fresh coconut milk in our diet.

Coconut milk is one of the healthier saturated fat product. The fat is said to be easily metabolized by the body. It is anti microbial, anti bacterial and anti viral. Coconut milk is good for our hair and skin. 

Coconut milk is rich in vitamins and minerals. It contain minerals like iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium and zinc. It contain vitamin C and E. 

Coconut milk contain lots of fat and one should drink or use it in minimum quantity.

Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Raw Rice : 1 Cup

Water : 3 to 4 cups 

Coconut milk : 1 Glass. ( 1/2 coconut of small size coconut).
Salt : A pinch

Method : 

1. Keep water for boiling. ( 1 Cup Rice = 4 Cups of water. ( Raw rice : Sona Masoori )

2. Wash rice and put it into the boiling water and cook rice till it turn soft.

3. Grate coconut and grind it with little water. Remove from mixi jar and squeeze out the milk from ground coconut. ( Use a siever to take out the milk from the ground coconut). Keep the thick milk aside.

2. Grind coconut again with little water and take out the milk from it. ( Second time).

3. Let the rice cook till it is soft. Put off the fire and keep the rice bowl down. Add a pinch of salt and mix it.

4. Add fresh coconut milk and mix it well.  Leave it for 2 to 3 minutes. Shift it to a serving dish.

5. Now Coconut Milk Ganji is ready to serve.

6. Serve with pickle/Chutney, papad and ghee.

Note : 

Cook rice with exact amount of water. Do not cook ganji after adding coconut milk. Keep the ready cooked rice bowl down and then add fresh coconut milk to get the aroma and healthy properties.
Fresh grated coconut should be ground nicely with required water to get fresh coconut milk. Re grind the coconut mixture again to get the second quality of coconut milk. Do not add much water while grinding. The consistency of Coconut milk Ganji should be loose but not watery. ( It should not be running consistency ).
Time : 25 Minutes. 
Serves : 2 .

Seeme Badane and Peas Curry ( Without Toor Dal )

Seeme badane/Chayote Squash is one of the vegetable which is available round the year. As usual you can do many dishes using this vegetable. Here I have done a simple curry with chayote squash and peas  which is very easy and it is without toor dal.

Normally curry /Huli means vegetables cooked with toor dal and mixed with spices grinding with coconut. Use of coconut is more in Dakshina Kannada /Mangalore/Udupi and Malenadu areas. Reason may be the life style, the weather, the food and the workload. It was those days people did very hard work, so that they could digest the food they eat. Use of coconut in cooking is very healthy habit, since coconut is full of minerals and vitamins. It is rich in fiber and easy to digest. Help to produce good cholesterol and helps in the growth of good hormones.
I have used fresh grated coconut, fresh rasam powder, seeme badane/chayote squash little jeera.
Let us see the recipe now :
No Onion or No garlic in this Seeme Badane Curry.

Things Needed :

To Cook :
Seeme badane /Chayote Squash : 2
Fresh Peas : 1 Cup
To grind :
Fresh grated coconut : 1Cup
Rasam Powder : 2 Teaspoons
Tamarind : A small marble size
To Add : 
Turmeric powder : A pinch
Salt : As required
Ghee : 1 Teaspoon
Methi seeds : 5 to 6
Seasoning :
Coconut Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh / Asafoetida : A pinch
Curry leaves : 6 to 8

Method :

1. Wash and remove the seeme badane outer layer. Remove the pea pods and wash it.

2. Remove the seed in side and cut them into small pieces.

3. Pressure cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Put off the gas. ( You can cook separately with out using pressure cooker. ( Optional ).

4. Grate coconut and grind it with rasam powder and tamarind. (Remove tamarind pod if it is inside).

5. Keep a pan on the fire and put cooked seeme badane and peas. Add salt, turmeric powder and mix it. Cook for 2 minutes. Add dry methi seeds.
6. Add ground coconut - rasam powder mixture and mix it well. Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes.

7. Shift the curry to a serving dish and add seasoning.
8. Serve with the main dish you have prepared.

Note : 

Use of pressure cooker to cook vegetables is optional.
Use of any cooking oil for seasoning is optional.
Use of tamarind pulp instead of tamarind is optional. Soak tamarind in hot water and squeeze out the pulp and use it.
Use of any brand rasam powder instead of fresh rasam powder is optional.
Time : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 People.

For fresh rasam powder :

  Dry roast, 1/4 Teaspoon of methi seeds, 2 Tablespoons of coriander seeds, 1/2 Teaspoon of jeera and 5 to 6 byadagi chilly. Add little ingh. Put off the fire and dry grind when the dry roast spices cools. Dry roast on low flame.