Green gram Rice Kichdi with Coconut milk / Hasaru Hejje (Ganji)/ Aati ganji

This is a traditional healthy recipe from Northern Kerala & Tulunadu. It is very nutritious and less spicy. It makes perfect food for toddlers, growing kids and pregnant as it is rich in protein & carbohydrates. This can be packed in kids’ lunch box. Totally it is a healthier option for any age group with a blend of green gram, rice & coconut milk.

This ganji is also named as aati ganji in coastal Karnataka as it is a mandatory dish in the tulu month Aati or Aashada which is a month in monsoon season. This helps to keep the body warm and hence protecting us from the seasonal ailments such as cold/ flu.

Green gram Rice Kichdi with Coconut milk


Preparation time: 6 hrs
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients
Green gram – ½ cup
White Rice / Boiled rice (matta rice) – 1 cup, (This ganji can be made with any rice - white/ boiled)
Salt - to taste
Pepper powder -  ¼ tsp
Coconut milk – 1 cup or grated coconut – 1½ cups
Bay leaf – a small piece (optional), Traditionally not used.
Cashews – 2 tsp (optional)
Ghee – 2 tsp

Method:
  • Wash and soak green gram for minimum 6 hours or overnight. 
  • Heat a tsp of ghee in a pressure cooker. 
  • Add bay leaf and sauté until you get nice aroma. 
  • Wash rice, soaked green gram and add to the pressure cooker. 
  • Add 5 cups of water (little more if using kushilakki/ boiled rice), salt, pepper powder to this. 
  • Cook until 3-4  (6-7 if boiled rice) whistles. 
  • Meanwhile, extract thick coconut milk from grated coconut. Click here for my post on coconut milk extraction. 
  • Once rice is cooked and pressure settles down, add coconut milk to it and bring to boil. 
  • Heat remaining ghee in a tadka pan, add cashews and fry until golden color. 
  • Add it to the kichdi. 
  • Serve it with any pickles or plain tomato rasam or with chutney/ chutney powder.

Hasaru Hejje (Ganji)


Notes: 
  • You can also use ground coconut paste instead of coconut milk. This taste good too.
  • This ganji tastes equally good with white/ boiled rice.
  • If using kuchilakki or boiled rice, it will take longer to cook and more water will be required.
  • Optionally cumin/ ajwain (carom seeds) powder can be used for the enhanced flavor.
Aati ganji


Comments

  1. there is one more recipe like this with fenugreek seeds instead of green gram. it is a postnatal food.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Interesting to know Shwetha! Will try once. Thank you

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