Kanji Payaru - Kerala Khichdi

The kerala homes had a lot of people and food was available and cooked in abundance. So especially for dinner a lot of rice would remain after providing for lunch in the noon. So at night the brown rice would be boiled in 2 cups of water and would be served along with payuru (green gram fry). This is also the poor man's dish in Kerala, some roadside hotels provide this dinner everyday. I make it as dinner sometimes during the week if I am too tired after work or even if I feel too lazy or I am home alone (since I eat to live)

Ingredients - Gnana Yoga

1 Cup - Brown Rice

1 Cup - Green Gram

2 tbsp - Grated Coconut

3-4 Shallots (ulli - 'kutti' onions)

1tbsp Mustard seeds

1 tbsp - Oil

Coriander Leaves (For garnish - optional)

Karma Yoga

If the brown rice remains after the lunch preparation, just boil it with 2 cups of water. If not, then pressure cook or boil fresh brown rice with 2 cups of water. You can soak the green gram dal in the morning before you go to work or else you can even pressure cook it. Once the green gram is cooked, take a pan , pour oil, once its heated add the mustard seeds, 3-4 shallots (finely chopped) . Let it turn pink and then add the cooked green gram and mix well. If you like you can add coriander leaves to the payuru along with some grated coconut. Its tastes really divine!!

If you are extremely lazy like me, you can add the brown rice and the green gram together in one shot and pressure cook it, add some salt to it and serve hot. Probably you can add some chopped onions and grated coconut in the beginning itself before you pressure cook and serve hot. We all lead fast lives isnt it and look for short cuts ;>)

This food is given especially when you are taking ayurveda treatments in Kerala because of its nutritive value and balanced nature. You can also have it when you are not feeling too well to have spicy or masaledar dishes.

Bhakti Yoga - Eat food with a sense of offering, neither in a hurry nor with violence. - Sri Sri