Ganji | Godrh Pulao | Jaggery Rice

I think every South Asian cuisine has their own version of "sweet rice". Here we have Zarda that's saffron yellow coloured rice cooked in sugar syrup with lots of nuts and some fresh fruits like pineapple and it's usually served as a heavy dessert or evening tea accompaniment. Then we have this dish prepared with Jagger known as "Ganji" or "Godrh Pulao" or some people call it "Gud Waale Chawal". Ganji is served as
main course along with "red chili chutney" and "roasted papad". 😋😋

Ganji served with Red Chili Chutney and Fried Papad

Unfortunately, my chutney didn't turn our that red and I fried papad instead of roaring them on direct fire. But altogether the dish was a winner on the table ;)

It's crucial to use really Brown Jaggery to get that colour as we don't add any additional colorant in this recipe. And you got to be careful while melting the Jaggery that the syrup shouldn't come to a boil otherwise the rice won't cook properly no matter how much liquid you add.

Ganji Recipe

Ingredients:

• 500 gms rice (preferably kolam)
• 450 gms jaggery
• 500 ml cream of coconut
• 1 litre thin coconut milk
• 2 medium sized onions
• 3 tbsp ghee (at room temperature)
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1/2 cup cashew nuts
• 1/2 cup peanuts
• 3-4 pieces of cinnamon
• 8-10 green cardamom pods
• 1/2 tsp salt

Method:

1. Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed vessel and fry cashew nuts and peanuts till brown and fragrant then remove in a bowl and keep aside.

2. Now add oil in the same ghee and add cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods and finely sliced onions. Saute till onions turn slightly golden in colour.

3. Meanwhile dissolve Jaggery in thin coconut milk and pour the mixture in in the onions. Mix well and let the mixture cook on slow flame. Don't let it boil otherwise the rice turn out hard.

4. Once the Jaggery has melted completely and forms thin golden syrup, add washed and drained rice to it immediately followed by cream of coconut (thick coconut milk). Mix well and cook on high flame with stirring.

5. When liquids are 50% absorbed lower the flame and cook covered in dum till the rice is well done and fluffy.

6. Finally mix in the fried peanuts and cashew nuts and seen with red chutney and roasted papad.