Nellikka Spl Kanji Recipe

Soaking

Rinse 1 cup rice until water runs clear. Soak rice in enough water for 4–6 hours or overnight.

Pressure-cook or simmer

Drain soaked rice. Add to a pot with 4 cups fresh water and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until rice breaks and becomes very soft and porridge-like (20–30 minutes). Alternatively cook in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles with 4 cups water until mushy. If you have pre-cooked rice, mash it and add water to reach desired porridge consistency.

Cool for fermentation

Allow the cooked rice congee to cool to lukewarm (30–35°C / comfortable to the touch). If too hot it will kill the curd cultures.

Once the rice congee is lukewarm, stir in 1 cup curd and 1 cup water to loosen. Mix until smooth and homogeneous. Adjust salt to 1/2 tsp (taste). Cover with a cloth and keep at room temperature to ferment mildly for 6–12 hours (short fermentation keeps it pleasantly tangy). After fermentation, chill if desired. The mixture should be slightly tangy and pourable—this is the kuthari kanji base.

Peel and cube cassava (kappa). Boil in salted water with 1/4 tsp turmeric until tender (15–20 minutes). Drain and set aside. Optionally mash lightly or leave as bite-size cubes. Keep 1 cup cooked kappapuzhukku to stir into the kanji.

Deseed and chop 6 nellikka (amla) into small pieces. Toss with a pinch of salt and a little turmeric if preferred to reduce sourness. Thinly slice 6 shallots. You can lightly sauté the shallots in 1 tsp coconut oil until translucent (1–2 minutes) to soften their sharpness, or use raw for more bite. Reserve both for assembling.

Heat 2 tbs coconut oil in a pan. Add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds and let them splutter, then add 1 tsp urad dal and fry until golden. Add 4 chopped shallots and 1 slit green chili; sauté until shallots are softened. Add 1 cup grated coconut, 8 curry leaves, 1/4 tsp turmeric and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir-fry on medium heat for 3–4 minutes until coconut is cooked but still moist. Taste and adjust salt. Turn off and set aside. This yields thoran to spoon over the kanji.

In a small blender, combine 1 cup grated coconut, 2 tbs roasted gram (or peanuts), 1 green chili, tamarind or lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp salt with ~1/4 cup water. Grind to a coarse-smooth chutney. Transfer to a bowl. For tempering, heat 1 tsp coconut oil in a tadka pan, add 1/4 tsp mustard seeds, 1 dry red chili and 6 curry leaves. When mustard splutters, pour over chutney and mix. Keep chilled or room temperature until serving.

Heat 1 tbs coconut oil in a small pan. Add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds and let them crackle. Add 1 tsp urad dal and fry until light golden, then add broken dry red chili and 8 curry leaves. Fry briefly until fragrant. Pour this tempering into the prepared kanji base and stir gently to distribute flavor.

In a deep serving bowl, place a ladle of the fermented kuthari kanji. Stir in the reserved 1 cup boiled kappapuzhukku cubes so the kanji has both porridge and soft tapioca texture. Add the chopped nellikka pieces and sliced/sautéed shallots to the bowl (distribute evenly). Drizzle or fold in the tempering from the tempering step. Spoon 1–2 tbs of the thoran alongside or on top for texture. Serve a spoonful of thenga chammanthi and 1–2 tbs homemade pickle on the side. Garnish with a few fresh curry leaves or a light drizzle of coconut oil if desired.

Adjust seasoning and consistency: if kanji is too thick, add warm water or buttermilk/extra curd-water to reach desired pourable consistency. Taste and add salt if needed.

Fry or roast 4 pappadams just before serving. For frying: heat coconut oil or ghee in a small kadai and fry each pappadam for 10–20 seconds per side until puffed and crisp. Drain on paper towel. Serve hot alongside kanji.