Friday, September 3, 2021

Kani Udkdo Tandla Cheppi Kheeri (Red Rice Cooked in Coconut Milk- Turmeric Leaves).


"Shri Krishna Janmashtami, Dahi Handi Day (Mosaru Kudke) Naivedyam : Tambdo Kani Udkdo Tandla Haldi paan ghalnu Cheppi Kheeri (Keral Matta Broken Red Rice Cooked in Coconut Milk with Turmeric Leaves)" ... sharing with due apologies for the delay ... do try this version of preparing with boiled rice ... 

** Shri Krishna Janmashtami as you all know is followed on the next day with Dahi handi festival. The festival is observed by hanging a mud pot filled with curds high with a help of a rope and people form a pyramid to reach it out, break it down. Usually on this day curd based preparations are prepared to please Shri Krishna who was very fond of butter, curds, milk etc. However this time I decided to prepare Cheppi Kheeri as plenty of turmeric leaves were available which is used as addition to the kheeri.

** Cheppi Kheeri is actually bland kheer ie kheeri which is neither sweet/ salty/ sour nor spicy. It just includes cooking of rice in freshly prepared coconut milk with addition of turmeric leaves which imparts an aroma of its own. This is a traditional GSB/ Saraswat Konkani dish prepared during many festivals around rainy season when turmeric leaves are available in plenty more so on Nagpanchami and Ganesha Chaturthi. Legend has it saying that Goddess Parvathi prepared this with lots of love to Lord Shiva who relished this with great desire.

** I guess the main ingredient in this dish is “cooking it with love” as it turns delicious despite having hardly any ingredients added on to it. This kheeri is a very simple dish prepared as Naivedyam/ an offering to God on auspicious days. The aroma of the turmeric leaves is actually the whole and sole of this particular Kheeri. I usually prepare this kheeri with amba mor rice, a quality of rice that also has a flavor of its own and turns mushy the right consistency needed for the preparation of perfect kheeri.

** As you all know I like trying out new variations as unless done so you never know the outcome of any dishes. Kanji prepared with broken kerala matta red boiled rice turns out excellent, mushy and perfect. I really felt I must give a try preparing cheppi kheeri with it as I had already seen that many prepared sweet payasam with it, which made me think why not bland kheei, when ahead and tried it out exactly in the same method as that of our normal kheeri, by just replacing the rice and it turned out fantastic.

** Though the recipe is already shared with amba mor rice elsewhere, I am again repeating the same here. There are no changes in the recipe except that I have used matta broken red rice here. I am also sharing a common link and the original recipe link at the bottom of this recipe, you may check it out there. I am also including link to preparation of coconut milk along with them and you may check out on the same if need be. Always adapt recipes to suit the taste of your family and that is how you will come across a delicious dish of your own.


** Here is my simple recipe for preparation of “Tambdo Kani Udkdo Tandla Haldi paan ghalnu Cheppi Kheeri (Keral Matta Broken Red Rice Cooked in Coconut Milk with Turmeric Leaves)" … My very own version, followed on Mom’s guidelines of normal cheppi kheeri recipe …

** Clean and wash 3 cups of good quality of Tambdo Kani Udkdo Tandlu (Keral Matta Broken Red Rice) in plenty of water about 2-3 times till it is well washed. Drain and keep it aside, there is no need to soak broken boiled rice.

** Wash, cut 2-3 turmeric leaves/ haldi paana to 6 inch sized pieces and keep it aside ready. You can also use the trimmed edge pieces of turmeric leaves that we keep aside while preparing patholi, which is what I do, so that you do not waste the trimmed leaves.

** Prepare and keep ready the coconut milk, the method of which is given at the bottom of this recipe. You can use the readily available ones in stores too.

** Preparation of Cheppi Kheeri : Boil plenty of water (say about 2 litres) in a thick bottomed stainless steel vessel. When the water comes to a rolling boil add in the tambdo Kani Udkdo Tandlu Kheeri (Keral Matta Broken Red Rice) and mix well.

** Let the rice come back to a rolling boil which will take a few minutes. Keep stirring a few times to avoid it sticking to the bottom of the vessel. Then reduce the heat to medium and cook the rice stirring in between till 80% cooked, it should turn very soft.

** Add in turmeric leaves by slightly crushing it so that it is slightly crushed which imparts more aroma while cooking. Continue cooking of medium heat till the rice is now cooked to 90%. Finally add in the prepared and kept coconut milk, mix well and further cook till done.

** The Kheeri has to be cooked mushy and thick in texture. We usually prepare two types of coconut milk thin and thick as mentioned in detail on the link, you can add the thin texture of milk when 50% cooked and the thicker one when 90% done which is what is done.

** However, if using readily available coconut milk which is also very good and helpful in case of preparation of lesser quantity of kheeri, you may add it last when 90% cooked and done as here the same is available only in thick texture.

** Note : The cheppi kheri, thickens on resting, so if slightly thinner textured do not worry. But it is always preferably to prepare it thick and add in hot boiling water and mix to bring it to required consistency while serving if need be, than keeping it thinner textured initially.

** Note : You should not use water in excess and should keep stirring the mixture and at no point leave the kheeri unattended when cooking as stirring often to check that it does not get burnt at the bottom, which is very important. The kheeri is now done.


** “Tambdo Kani Udkdo Tandla Haldi paan ghalnu Cheppi Kheeri (Keral Matta Broken Red Rice Cooked in Coconut Milk with Turmeric Leaves)" is done and ready to be offered as Naivedyam to God and thereby served to family and friends.

** Always serve it hot for best taste along with other dish of your choice. We amchi’s in our community are fond of it and usually prepare it with Patrado, a spicy steamed roll prepared with colocasia leaves as an accompaniment along with Kheeri.

** In my home it is always served with patrodo and thick dailtoy (dal) and both hubby and me love them best served in that combo. Some do add in some sugar or jaggery powder and prepare the sweeter version too, while a few people relish it with a pinch of salt.

** Sharing a few links below which includes step by step pictures of “Cheppi Kheeri” recipe and a few other version …

** You can check out the method of preparing “Coconut Milk/ Narla Rosu/ Nariyal ka Doodh” by following the link given below ….

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