Plain Unseasoned Congee
Ghains (Congee with Yogurt)
Geeli Khichri ("Wet Khichri")
Saag Vali Khichri
Congee
Rice porridges, eaten from Japan to Persia as breakfasts, snacks, and
lunches, are considered warming and soothing, as well as a stabilizing
influence on the stomach and digestive tract. The English word congee is
derived from the Indian kanji, meaning boilings, a Tamil word for the water
in which rice is boiled. In India today, kanji refers both to this "rice
water" that is drained off when rice is cooked like pasta and to the thick
gruel made by boiling a little rice with a lot of water.
In India, the flavorings added to porridge range from salt, ghee, black
pepper, and cumin to more elaborate hot and salty pickles. In Gujarat,
ghains is made by combining rice porridge with beaten yogurt and a little
fresh ginger. Another gruel from India includes both rice and split peas.
It is called khichri. It is always served with ghee, salt, and pepper,
although other spices and vegetables may be added to the basic dish. There
are actually two types of khichri in India - the porridge or wet khichri and
a dry, puffy, grainy form known as khili hui khichri, or the "khichri that
has bloomed".
To eat congee in the Indian style, salt it first. Then add lots of freshly
ground pepper and ghee or butter If you like, this ghee can be heated, whole
cumin seeds popped in it, and then poured over the congee and mixed in.
Serve Indian style vegetables on the side.
A word of caution: Rice gruels should be made in heavy pots with an even
distribution of heat.
Plain Unseasoned Congee
1/2 cup long or sort grain rice
5 3/4 cups water
1/2 cup long or sort grain rice
If rice is American and "enriched" do not wash it. Otherwise, wash and drain
the rice. Put rice and 5 3/4 cups water into a heavy, 3 1/2 to 4 quart pot
and slowly bring to a boil. Stir now and then as it comes to a boil. Lower
heat to medium and cook rice for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice. Cover,
leaving lid slightly ajar, and cook on very low heat for 1 1/4 hours.
Congee may be made ahead of time and reheated. It tends to get thick and
gummy as it sits. Thin it out with a little boiling water and then reheat,
stirring frequently, over low heat.
Ghains (Congee with Yogurt)
makes about 2 cups
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tsp veg. oil or ghee
1/3 tsp whole cumin seeds
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
1/16 tsp freshly ground pepper, or to taste
1/4 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
1/8 to 1/4 tsp finely minced fresh hot green chilies
1 cup plain unseasoned congee
Put yogurt in a small bowl. Whisk until creamy and smooth.
Heat oil in a small 1 1/2 qt. pot over medium flame until hot, add cumin
seeds and remove pot from the flame. Pour over yogurt and stir in. Return
yogurt and oil to the same pot, add salt, pepper, ginger, green chilies, and
prepared congee. Heat slowly over medium heat, stirring constantly in one
direction. Do not let it boil. When heated through, remove from heat.
Put in small bowls and serve hot for breakfast or as a light lunch. You may
also serve this dish cold, with some finely diced cucumber added just before
serving.
Geeli Khichri ("Wet Khichri")
You can make this khichri with other dals, or with yellow split peas. Serve
it in small individual bowls and spoon accompanying vegetables, pickles,
and chutneys over it as you eat.
makes about 1 quart and serves 6 - 8
1/3 cup mung dal, picked over, washed, and drained
1/2 cup long or short grain rice, washed and drained
2 quarter sized slices of fresh ginger
1 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
1/16 to 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds
Put dal, rice, ginger slices, and 7 cups water in a heavy 2 1/2 to 3 quart
pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stir, cover, turn heat to low, and
cook for about 1 1/2 hours or until you have a porridgelike consistency.
Stir every 6 to 7 minutes during the last 40 minutes to prevent sticking.
Remove ginger slices. Add salt and pepper and stir to mix.
Khichri may be made up to this stage several hours ahead of time. Before
serving, reheat over a low flame, stirring constantly, or reheat in a double
boiler. Sometimes adding a little water and thinning it out slightly helps
in the reheating process. Put the ghee in a small skillet and heat over a
medium flame. When hot, add cumin seeds and sizzle for a few seconds. Pour
hot ghee and cumin seeds over the khichri immediately. One minute later,
uncover, and mix.
Saag Vali Khichri
serves 6 to 8
1/2 cup whole mung beans, picked over, washed, and drained
1/2 cup long grain rice, white or brown, washed and drained
1 quarter sized slice fresh ginger
1 pound fresh spinach, washed, with leaves separated
1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
4 Tbsp vegetable oil or ghee
1/16 tsp ground asafetida
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
1 small onion, peeled, cut in half length wise, then sliced into fine half
rounds
1 tsp ground cumin seeds
2 tsp ground coriander seeds
1/16 tsp cayenne pepper
freshly ground black pepper to taste
optional:
lemon juice to taste
a pat of butter per serving
1 tsp minced Chinese parsley per serving
Put mung beans in a heavy 3 1/2 quart pot. Add 5 1/2 quarts water and bring
to a boil over medium heat. Cover, lower heat, and simmer 2 minutes. Turn
off heat and let pot sit, covered, for 1 hour. Bring to boil again. Add rice
and ginger and bring to a simmer. Cover, turn heat to low, and cook gently
for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add spinach and salt, bring to a simmer,
cover and cook gently for 1/2 hour, stirring now and then to prevent
sticking. Add a little hot water if it seems too thick.
Heat oil in small skillet over medium flame. When hot add asafetida. Two
seconds later add whole cumin seeds. Five seconds later add onion. Stir and
fry until onion begins to turn brown at edges. Add ground cumin, coriander,
and cayenne. Stir and fry for 1 minute. Empty contents of skillet into rice
and bean pot. Stir. Cover and cook for 5 more minutes. Discard ginger.
Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Serve in individual bowls with
some or all of the optional seasonings.
from Madhur Jaffrey's World of the East Vegetarian Cooking
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