Nombu Kanji Recipe

Nombu kanji also known as Ramadan nonbu kanji is a south Indian porridge, nourishing as well as comforting dish traditionally prepared during the fasting month Ramadan. Let's see how to make this vegetarian version with coconut milk easily with step by step pictures and video in this recipe post.

It is usually made during iftar by Muslims to break their fast as its very good and soothing for your tummy. But you can also make this when you are craving for something warm and comforting.

Check out my oats porridge recipe and my vendhaya kanji recipe in this website which are equally tasty and healthy.

Jump to:

• Inspiration
• ☪ About
• ✅ Benefits
• 📖 Variations
• 🥥 Coconut milk
• 📸 Step by step photos
• Recipe card

Inspiration

I once tasted veg nombu kanji in one of my uncle's house. When I posted my oats Kanji I shared in it as well. Especially with fennel seeds in it, it was very very flavorful,.

In other words, perfect balance of flavors and taste, that I could not even forget now. Similarly, I love poondu kanji or vendhaya kanji that we make often. But this style is very new to me.

Wanted to post for a long time, by saying so, I really mean it. As soon as I posted my oats kanji, thought I should try Ramadan nombu kanji too and post it. But wanted a good authentic recipe.

I read few articles in newspapers about the recipe. Realized, there are a handful of versions as well as it differs in each region, each place they make.

Few months back, that is last December, when the weather was cold, I was craving all of a sudden for this nombu kanji. Therefore I asked few people in my whatsapp, friends and relatives.

Once my relative (Aruna akka) shared this recipe and asked me to try. Worst of all, I lost the recipe, it was few years back actually. So I went back to her shamelessly and asked the recipe again. She is sweet enough to send it right away.

☪ About

During Ramadan, Muslims fast throughout the day. Not even water. Early in morning they have Sehri, a meal they consume before dawn prior fasting (Sawm), before sunrise. After that, they break their fast (Iftar) with Nombu kanji, after sunset.

Though non vegetarian is the most common kanji they serve, This is a vegetarian version I am sharing.

Before I made this, I tried another version also which almost tasted like porridge version of biryani and not at all same as I tasted in my childhood. After that, never had courage to try again and get an un expected result.

I know the one I tasted there had fennel seeds / soambu in it. I love the flavor it lends to kurma, biryani (south Indian way) and other few recipes. This kanji too.

Problem is Vj hates it like anything. For a person who isn't demanding at all for the options, I did not want to disappoint him because I planned this for a breakfast as I prepare for the blog post.

Did not want to miss the fennel seeds flavor as well. So added in powdered form. I won't say I could recreate the same I tasted, but was super delicious and flavorful. Definitely not a kanji form of biryani, no. So we both had it heartily.

✅ Benefits

With coconut milk and moong dal in this porridge, it is really good to soothe a tummy that's fasting for the whole day. Coconut milk helps in preventing or treating ulcer/ mouth ulcer.

So this comes as a rescue to those who are fasting. They use this kanji to break their fast.

Apart from this, the concept behind nombu kanji is, palli vaasal preparing it in bulk everyday. They serve it for free to all in the area who visits the mosque or pass by. Just like prasadam serving the purpose of feeding poor people apart from the sacred food offerings concept.

📖 Variations

• Swap coconut milk with grated coconut.
• The rice we use can be varied. I used seeraga samba rice. You can use raw rice varieties like Sona masuri. I have seen in an article that they use broken rice.
• The moong dal amount can be varied. I used 2 tablespoon in my recipe actually. This makes the kanji thicker as it gets mashed and as it cools, it makes the kanji even more thicker, creamier.
• Want to make it more nutritious? Use green gram dal (broken).
• Use toor dal in place of moong dal.
• Sprinkle little garam masala or biryani masala for extra flavor.

🥥 Coconut milk

I used around 1 & ½ cups of fresh grated coconut to extract coconut milk. First grind grated coconut with ½ cup luke warm water and squeeze the milk out. Keep a metal strainer over a bowl and squeeze the coconut milk. Repeat one more time to get coconut milk needed for the recipe.

You can also use store bought coconut milk, but I prefer fresh ones. It feels light as well as no preservatives, stabilizers.

📸 Step by step photos

1. Firstly, wash rice and dal, keep aside. Then heat a pressure cooker with oil. After that, temper with cinnamon, cardamom.

2. Then add onion and fry till onion turns soft.

3. After that, tip in the ginger garlic paste. In goes tomato, vegetables. Saute for couple of minutes.

4. Then add 1 & ½ cups water, washed rice and dal. Mix well and bring to boil.

5. Pressure cook for 4 whistles in medium flame.

6. Once done, mash it well. Add 1 & ½ to 2 cups more water. Mix well.

7. Bring to boil and simmer the flame. Finally add the coconut milk. Stir well and simmer for a minute. Switch off the heat when it just starts to boil.

Enjoy it warm the best. Since nombu kanji has coconut milk, please consume within 5-6 hours. You can refrigerate and consume if you know you can't finish the same day. But refrigerate as soon as it is cooled.

Recipe card