Nombu Kanji, a Ramadan special vegetarian dish

Nombu Kanji

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Quaran was revealed in this month. It is a very pious and sacred month for e very muslims across the world. During Ramadan fasting is most important. It is one of the five pillars for them. During this month muslim brothers and sisters do fasting during daytime from dawn to sunset. They don’t even drink water during this fasting period. So after the evening namaz they   will break the fast with a dish called nombu kanji. It is generally served sourthen states of India. It is a filling, light and tasty food to break the fast.

Nombu kanji, the most well known among the Ramadan dishes, is a healthy, sumptuous option to break the fast. It is distributed in all the mosques across Tamil Nadu in the holy month. It is traditionally made with mutton or chicken in a big bowls (handis) and then transferred to small bowls for serving. It is a slow cooked dish with lots of aroma and flavor. I made the vegetarian version of the same. It took less time but the flavors are same. It has good ness of rice, dal and veggies. It can also be eaten during normal days as a breakfast, or baby food or less oil dish.

Rice- 1 cup (raw rice, but I used zeera rice)

Moong dal – ½ cup

Chopped veggies- 1 ½ cup (cabbage, capsicum, green peas, carrot and beans)

Onion – 1 medium sized

Garlic- 6 to 7 cloves

Ginger- 1 inch

Tomato- 1 (medium)

Green chilli- 1

Fennel seeds- 1 tbsp

Garam masala- 1 tbsp

Coconut- ½

Salt to taste

Haldi- 1 tsp

Red chilli- ½  tsp

Oil- 1 ½ tbsp

Mint leaves- 7 to 8

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Wash and clean the rice and soak for 15 mins. Do same with the moong dal.

In the meantime chop the veggies and keep aside.

Clean and chop onion, garlic, ginger and green chili and keep aside. Chop mint leaves and tomatoes and keep aside.

Scarp the coconut and grind it. Add 1 cup of water and strain it. Coconut milk is ready to use.

Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add crushed fennel seeds. Now add chopped onion and sauté them. Then add chopped ginger, garlic and green chili and sauté. Add chopped tomatoes and sauté up to all the masala come together. Now add haldi, red chili, salt and garam masala to it. Sauté uo to masala separated from oil.

Add chopped veggies to the masala and sauté. When water dries up add soaked rice and dal and sauté. Add water up to I inch above the rice dal and veggies and pressure cook it up to 3 whistlea (1 in high and 2 in low).  Allow it to cool down.

Open the cooker and mashed the kanji and add some water (if it  is too dry) and cook again. Now add cococnut milk and mix properly. Don’t cook for more time after adding coconut milk as coconut milk may split. Now taste the kanji and balance the seasoning. 

Serve hot in small bowls and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Generally it is served with bonda or bhajjis.