Sudesh Kumar a.ok.a Vijayan stirring the masala kanji
| Photograph Credit score: SREEJITH R KUMAR
If you happen to assume that tea-time snacks, thattudosa, porotta, puttu and their sides are crowd-pullers at roadside eateries, here’s a shock. Even kanji (gruel) has followers!
Particularly the masala kanji served at a no-frills place at Chembu Panippura junction, at the start of the Kochar Highway-Valiyasala stretch. Run by Sudesh Kumar, aka Vijayan to his clients, this eatery has been serving masala kanji for lunch for nearly a 12 months now. Apart from a printed piece of paper that asserts ‘masala kanji’, the tiny outlet doesn’t also have a title. Ask for Vijayannan’s store and masala kanji , loads of folks will information you.
Regardless of being spicy, some clients make it spicier with do-it-yourself mango and lime pickles and sun-dried curd chilli. Crisp pappadavada (lentil flatbread fritter) can be served with the kanji. Flavourful chukku kappi (dry ginger espresso) is the signature drink right here.
Masala kanji served with pappadavada, sun-dried curd chilli and pickles as sides
| Photograph Credit score:
SREEJITH R KUMAR
Vijayan is reluctant to reveal the components that go into the gruel. “I exploit purple rice and it’s cooked in water boiled with cumin (jeeraka vellam). Among the many components are inexperienced gram and biryani masala ,” says Vijayan. As I had the piping scorching masala kanji, I discovered grated carrot, beans and coriander leaves as properly.
The way it began
It was the pandemic that compelled Vijayan, a lottery vendor, to step into the meals enterprise. “I used to promote do-it-yourself idli and dosa batter for a while. After that I offered mashed tapioca and chilli with chukku kappi at this house. Someday I made the masala kanji for myself. An autorickshaw driver who stopped by requested if he may even have it. Then, he introduced one other particular person with him to have the kanji and that’s how I began making the masala kanji for purchasers. Ultimately, phrase acquired round and extra folks began coming in,” says 60-year-old Vijayan. Meals vloggers introduced in additional clients.
Sudesh Kumar a.ok.a. Vijayan
| Photograph Credit score:
SREEJITH R KUMAR
Vijayan factors out the kanji needs to be cooked on low flame and so it’s on the range for 3 to three-and-half hours. “It needs to be infused with the flavours of the components. The kanji is prepared by 12 midday and normally will get over by 4pm,” he says.
Since there are solely two plastic stools, most clients stand and revel in their kanji. “It feels good when folks come from throughout town to have my kanji. A few of them are common clients. I consider that kanji is the healthiest meals that one can have. It needn’t have so many components.”
A bowl of masala kanji prices ₹40. Pappadavada is priced at ₹7 for one and the chukku kaappi ₹10.
The store is closed on Sundays.