Kanji is a very popular and traditional recipe of my state Orissa,India..It is mainly prepared like a soup made with peja(leftover water after boiling rice) and torani(rice water or the liquid juice of
Pakhal) cooked with vegetables..
There are 3 types of kanji--
1. Pariba(vegetables) kanji
2. Saga(Leafy vegetables) kanji
3. Sukhua(dry fish) kanji
Kanji Amla Osha
This is held on the ninth day of the dark fortnight of the lunar month of Margashira at the onset of cold season in Orissa. The housewife worship goddess Shathi whose image is placed among seven dried fishes decorated with sindoor/vermilon, kajal/collyrium and yellow rags. Sukhua Kanji is used as a bhog in this festival.."Kanji' , Amalaki or Amla ( a sour berry) and dried fish are invigorating in winter.
Traditionally in old days, they used to make Kanji during winter season, as it contains Vitamine C, which gives energy and strength to the body to fight the cold..
My mother and grandmother used to cook Kanji always, and i loved to drink that yummy dish..
I am writing here the recipe for kanji with a little variation to make it more simple and easy...
In old days they keep little peja with torani in a container and keep adding the same to that container, till 7-8 days..they keep the container covered, and leave it for formentation until became sour..then they just add enough water to it with salt and turmeric powder and cook it with vegetables or dry fish(fried)....Those days there was no fridge in the kitchens, so they used to make kanji in winters only.. but now a days we have that facility of fridging, so we can hav the yummy drink to control the heat of the Summer too..Here i keep peja+ torani for one day in the fridge and to bring the sourness, i just add butter milk to it and cooked with vegetables...
* To store peja in its liquid form, we just have to add water to the warm peja and keep aside to cool..
Ingredients
2-3 Cups Peja
1 Cup Torani
2 Cups Water
(I mixed all the above 3 and kept it in fridge, if its winter then u can keep it outside and even try to do the authentic style)
1-2 Cups Buttermilk(Depends upon its sourness)
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
Salt to taste
1 Raddish
1 Brinjal
3-4 Okra
50 gm Pumpkin
Tempering:-
Few Curry Leaves
1-2 tsp Mustard Seeds
1-2 Dry Red Chilli
1/2 " Ginger(crushed)
Mustard Oil
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves
Method
Cut all the vegetables in to 1" lengthsize..
Add peja, torani, water, buttermilk, turmeric powder, and salt in to a kadai and boil it.
Once it started boiling, add all the vegetables and cook properly in medium heat.
Cook till all the vegetables are done and keep aside in a container.
Heat mustard oil in kadai, add red chilli and mustard seeds to it.
When it started crackling, add crushed ginger and curry leaves.Fry a lil.
Add the above tempering to the cooked vegetables.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot or cold..
