KANJI CURRY is another popular curry from the East Indian Cuisine Recipes. Kanji is rice gruel or water drained from boiling rice. The curry has prawns, rice gruel, and lots of vegetables. It also has coconut and a green masala paste that adds to its flavour.
The East Indians make Kanji Curry during the wedding ceremony preparations. The wedding house is generally filled with guests and community people who come along to help during the wedding. The hosts prepare this kanji curry as a part of the afternoon meal. This curry is quick and easy to make and has seafood and lots of vegetables.
The East Indians are also rice eaters and the Kanji Curry is traditionally served with boiled rice. Rice is cooked in lots of water and gruel from the rice is not discarded but used to make this curry. Rice gruel not only makes the curry nutritious but also delicious and gives it a smooth texture.
This curry is made in all East Indian homes regularly and enjoyed with gusto by kids and adults as well. As the curry is mild and devoid of strong spices it makes a perfect summer meal with a plate of rice.
What vegetable go with Prawns Kanji Curry
Vegetables like pumpkin, bottle gourd, ash gourd, drumsticks, radish, lady fingers, brinjals make excellent Prawn Kanji Curry.
You could use all these vegetables or any of these vegetables that you can lay your hands on. The curry gets its flavour from the prawns and the green masala paste that we add to it.
The number of vegetables and prawns also does not matter while making this Kanji Curry. Feel free to use it as per your choice and taste. To make this Prawns Curry I used about 16 to 18 medium prawns along with these vegetables –
- Pumpkin – 100 grams
- Ladyfingers – 5 to 6
- Drumsticks – 2 cut into pieces
- Brinjals – 2 cut into halves
- Tomato – 1 chopped
- Ash gourd – 100 grams
Kanji Curry Recipe
Kanji Curry is an East Indian Prawn Curry Recipe with rice gruel and vegetables. The curry is quick and easy to make and flavoured with a green masala paste that has coconut. Some also add the East Indian Bottle Masala but we prefer to make this curry with Green Masala Paste.
For the Green Masala Paste –
- Coconut – 1/2 cup of freshly grated coconut. You could also use coconut milk instead of grated coconut, whichever suits you.
- Coriander leaves – 1/2 a cup of green coriander leaves to give the curry a light green colour. Do not use more coriander leaves as it will give the curry a dark green colour that is not appetizing.
- Green Chillies – use 6 to 7 green chillies or more to suit your taste. We do not use any other spice for this curry so add chillies keeping this in mind.
- Coriander and Cumin Seeds – Add 2 tablespoons of coriander and 1 tsp of cumin seeds.
- Ginger & Garlic – 1-inch of ginger and a few cloves of garlic ( 6 to 7 cloves) will just be fine.
- Tamarind – a small ball of tamarind will give a slight tang to the curry. Skip if you must or just add a tablespoon of vinegar to the curry.
Method
- Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a big vessel and sauté one medium sliced onion until translucent.
- Next add the green masala paste and fry for 2 minutes and then add the vegetables. Also add turmeric powder and salt to taste. While add salt, take care, your rice gruel may also contain salt.
- Add at least 2 cups of rice gruel and allow the vegetables to cook in this. As this curry is mostly eaten with rice, we drain water from cooked rice (Kanji) and use it for this curry.
- Now after the vegetables are cooked add in the prawns that are already shelled and deveined. Also add one tomato chopped. I prefer to add tomato at this stage so as to not let it get mushy.
- Cook the curry for another 5 to 6 minutes or until the prawns are done. If you like to add vinegar then add it at this stage and let the curry simmer for 2 minutes.
- Prawn Kanji Curry is ready. You must serve this preferably with steamed rice.
Other Prawn Curry Recipes (East Indian) that you may like
KANJI CURRY RECIPE
Ingredients
- 350 grams Prawns (shelled and devined)
- 500 grams Vegetables (pumpkin, ladyfingers, drumsticks, ash gourd, bottle gourd,tomato etc)
- 1 medium Onion sliced
- 2 cups Rice Gruel ( water drained from boiled rice)
- ½ tsp Turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp Oil for cooking
For the Green Masala Paste
- ½ cup Freshly Grated Coconut
- ½ cup Coriander leaves
- 7 Green Chillies
- 7 Garlic Flakes
- 1-inch Ginger
- 2 tbsp Coriander seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 Tamarind (marble-size ball)
Instructions
Kanji Curry Recipe
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a vessel. Add 1 medium sliced onion and saute until translucent.
- Grind all the ingredients under 'Green Masala Paste' and add. Fry for 2 minutes.
- Cut the vegetables into desired pieces and add. Add turmericepowder and salt to taste
- Add 2 cups of rice kanji and let the vegetables cook. Add rice kanji according to the curry you want.
- When vegetables are cooked add the prawns and the chopped tomatoes. Add more kanji to the curry, if required.
- Cook on medium heat until prawns are well done. Simmer for 2 minutes and then switch off the flame.
- Serve Kanji Curry with boiled or steamed rice.
Notes
- I like to add a tablespoon of vinegar to this kanji curry.
- Add vegetables as per your choice.
- Add more or less rice gruel according to the curry.
- If you have no rice kanji but still want to make this curry, then grind a tablespoon of raw rice along with the green masala.
Thanks for stopping by….
Love, Anita