Vishu Katta Recipe

Vishu Katta is a traditional Vishu breakfast served especially in Thrissur area. It is nothing but a solid red rice porridge served with jaggery syrup or with any spicy curry. It is generally prepared using freshly harvested rice. This Vishu i have made this for breakfast and relished the taste. The coconut milk gives nice flavour and taste to this dish. The jeera adds a special touch and brings this dish to another level.

It is a rich tasty dish tastes similar to paal kozhukattai. Kids love this dish as there is no spiciness. I had enough coconut this time as mom sends some coconut with my brother. When i was preparing I was nostalgic and literally scoring and eating the coconut like a kid. Here we used to grate the coconut and keep it inside the freezer. I did not attempted to eat this frozen any day.

INGREDIENTS:
Unakkalari Rice| Raw red rice - 1/2 cup

Coconut milk first thick extract- 1/2 cups

Coconut milk second thin extract-1 and 1/2 cups

Salt - to taste

Jeera - 1/4 tsp
Ghee - 1/2 tsp

For syrup:

Jaggery - 1/2 cup
Water - 1/4 cup

Dry ginger, crushed- 1 teaspoon

Cardamom, crushed-2 pods

PROCEDURE:

• In a pan add jaggery, water, crushed dry ginger and cardamom. Bring it to boil, cook until it becomes slightly thick syrup consistency. Strain the syrup and set aside.
• Grate one small coconut and take the coconut in a blender jar and crush slightly for extract the milk easily.
• Now add 1/2 cups of water and grind well. Pass through a strainer and squeeze well to extract the first coconut milk -1 
•  Add the coconut onto the blender again add 1 and 1/2 a cup of water and grind well and extract the coconut milk-2
• Rinse rice and soak it in water for 30 mins. Pour the second thin coconut extract in pan and heat it.

• Drain water from rice and add it to coconut milk. Let the rice cook in low flame till it becomes soft. Add required salt.
• Now add jeera to the cooked rice and add the first thick coconut milk and cook further. It will be slightly runny more like a porridge.

• Cook in low flame till the moisture evaporates and it starts to leave the sides of the pan.
• Allow to cool for 10 minutes inside the pan. Meanwhile line a tray or deep plate with banana leaf and grease with ghee. Spoon the rice mixture and spread it on the pan.

• Grease the spoon with ghee and level it with the back of it. Let it cool for 10 minutes  and then cut into squares and serve with jaggery syrup.
• Note: You could replace it with any raw rice for this recipe.
• Add extra thin coconut milk if required to cook the rice soft.