Kanji — India

Kanji is a thin, rice-water based dish made by cooking rice in a generous amount of water until the grains break down into a loose, almost drinkable mixture, closer to a savory gruel than to plain steamed rice. It is reported from several Indian states, including Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where recipes and proportions vary from one household and region to the next. In Odisha it is also linked to temple practice, counted among the food items offered to the deity Jagannath of Puri as part of the last meal of the day, and to the festival of Kanji Anla Osha, when it is offered to the goddess Sathi. To prepare it, rice is simmered in far more water than for ordinary cooked rice, until soft and loose, then seasoned with salt. A separate tempering of ghee or oil, cumin, dried chilies, curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida is fried briefly and poured over the rice water just before serving. What distinguishes this version from other South and East Indian rice preparations is its loose, watery texture and its double role: an everyday dish eaten plain, with buttermilk, or alongside soup or curry, and in Odisha also a food item with a place in temple offerings, without one use replacing the other.