I’ve been experimenting different recipes with Rosematta rice (the terracotta colored rice variety from Kerala, India).
In addition to the traditional steam-cooked Rosematta rice, I’ve made Rosematta pongal and Rosematta idly so far. Everything turned out excellent. Rosematta truly brings wholesome and wholegrain rosy goodness to a meal. The Chocolate Lady seems to agree with me. Check out her Rosematta rice and cashew matar meal combination.
One another recipe I wanted to try with Rosematta is vegetarian congee. Congee or ganji is little amount of rice simmered in large quantities of water to a creamy porridge. At its most fundamental, congee is rice water, flavored with buttermilk or coconut milk, chilli and salt. For today’s meal I dressed up the Rosematta congee with vegetables and Yuba (The thick cream that forms on the top of simmering soy milk is removed in layers, sun-dried and rolled into sheets). Add few pieces, the yuba will soak up the saaram, become soft and taste like milk meegada. A neat protein delicacy popularized by Buddhist monks, I gathered.
Sometimes you have to spend hours in the kitchen to make a remarkable meal. Sometimes it becomes effortless, today is one such day. Rosematta and yuba together made a hearty vegetarian congee. We loved our soothing, simple supper.
Coarsely Milled Rosematta Rice Grains and Yuba (Soymilk Meegada, Bean Curd Sticks)
Recipe:
1 cup – coarsely milled (broken) Rosematta rice
½ cup yuba (bean curd sticks, broken to one-inch length pieces)
½ cup each – cut pieces of carrot and ridge gourd (turai, beerakaya)
6 cups water and 1 cup milk.
1 teaspoon peanut oil or ghee
Seasoning:
6 fresh curry leaves
1 tablespoon ginger juice (Grate or crush the ginger & squeeze.)
1 teaspoon – coarsely crushed black pepper
½ teaspoon salt or to taste
In a big pot, heat ghee or oil.
Add and saute curry leaves, black pepper, carrot and ridge gourd pieces 2mts.
Add the yuba, Rosematta rice, water and milk.
Stir in salt and ginger juice.
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.
When the congee becomes thick and creamy, turn off the heat.
Serve warm. Tastes great with pickle.
Vegetarian Congee with Rosematta and Yuba ~ Our Meal Today
Notes:
Homemade Yuba ~ Recipe
Rosematta rice ~ Broken variety purchased at Apna Bazar, Bellevue
Yuba (Bean Curd Sticks) at Uwajimaya or also at Chinese grocery.
Hi Indira,
can I find YUBA in ranch (chinese shop)market. I remember that once yo made aloo bonda type with home made yube stripes.
Great pictues!!!
I always like to ask u from where do u get this much patience? If I cook two to three curries in a day, I feel tired and show my anger on my husbend. I should learn from u.
Comment by laxmi — July 18, 2007 @ 9:43 pm
Indira, thank you for an excellent wholesome meal…Kanji is one of the staples and I consider such simple yet down to earth and fulfilling recipes as a quiet retreat from the maddening world outside.
Comment by chandrika — July 18, 2007 @ 10:22 pm
Hi Indira!
The second pic of the conjee looks so good!!.. and the emerald green background is awesome!…
Mary
Comment by Mary — July 18, 2007 @ 10:37 pm
Hi Indira, Wonderful as usual! I love to have that conjee now!
Comment by Nirmala — July 18, 2007 @ 11:29 pm
the pictures look so good Indira, looks like the ganji will simply melt in the mouth!
Comment by Deepika Saripalli — July 19, 2007 @ 1:39 am
Is that homemade yuba or store-bought? Is it available in Oriental stores? Never seen a gonji this glamorous 😉
Comment by Suganya — July 19, 2007 @ 2:21 am
Thanks so much! I had one unsuccessful experience trying to cook yuba so far, but I think this will work if I try it.
PS
When I made rosematta rice, of course I wanted to link to Injipennu’s original post, but her blog seems to be gone! It seems so strange that a brilliant food blog can come along, completely change my life, and then disappear!
Comment by the chocolate lady — July 19, 2007 @ 6:34 am
Hi, me again,
I found Ginger and Mango–she has a new url:
http://myinjimanga.blogspot.com/
Comment by the chocolate lady — July 19, 2007 @ 7:00 am
hi indira gaaru,
i couldn’t see the last pic of the finished recipe.but it is intresting.i too like to try this.thank u for the wonderful recipies that ur posting.
Comment by ramya — July 19, 2007 @ 7:38 am
Oh my my! Indira…two of my fav. ingredients and u have made me drool at the thot of having that warm soft,taste-bud-tickling,congee in my mouth..
i am making this this week end…absly lovely recipe…does that yuba melt like in cheese?
Comment by IBH — July 19, 2007 @ 7:46 am
Wow, looks great and yummy Indira. Hhmmm…lovely. Thanks for sharing.
Comment by Jyothi — July 19, 2007 @ 8:07 am
I love the way in which you’ve presented something as simple as congee….nice pics as always….thank u.
Comment by Jayashree — July 19, 2007 @ 10:31 am
Looks lovely and colorful, Indira. Am not having any luck finding rosematta rice. Must look in the larger enclaves methinks. Have a great weekend 🙂
Comment by Linda — July 19, 2007 @ 12:11 pm
You make even the simple ingredients sound magical… which they are (but often go unrecognised). I will send you one more rosematta recipe straight from my home. 🙂
Take care Indira.
-Soumya
Comment by Soumya — July 19, 2007 @ 3:10 pm
wow thats such a good comfort dish!
Comment by roopa — July 19, 2007 @ 7:53 pm
Your sweet notes made this recipe much more sweeter. Thank you all for your nice comments.
Hi Laxmi and Suganya: Yes, bean curd sticks both fresh in frozen form and dried form are available readymade at Asian (Chinese, Japanese) grocery shops.
Laxmi, yes I saw it at ranch 99 here in Seattle.
Hi Chocolate Lady: While making changes to template Inji Pennu got blocked out of her old blog. She recovered her posts from Google Cache and nexus and started a new blog with the same name.
I have to change the old, now defunct G&M links in my posts.
IBH: Thanks. About yuba, no. Like milk meegada(malai), the membrane like yuba stays like that only. You can find it in my photo, the small white looking pieces between the rice grains.
Linda: Rosematta has recently started to appear at local Indian groceries. Sometimes the owners respond to our inquiries and bring the new products to shelves. Good luck and thanks Linda!
Hi Soumya: I look forward to trying out your family recipe with rosematta. Thanks!
Comment by Indira — July 19, 2007 @ 9:17 pm
You won’t believe Indira, i just had my dinner, and now i see this, and am hungry again :). Lovely, i have to try this one.
thanks!! this made my day!
Comment by musical — July 19, 2007 @ 11:09 pm
Thanks for this healthy and tasty looking recipe. I must try this…
thanks!
Comment by Vani — July 22, 2007 @ 4:04 pm
hi
Indira
whenever i see your pictures with the measuring cups i wanted one of my own, and now i have got them , my sis staying in the US has sent me a set , i will be taking pictures later and you can check them out.
Comment by mahek — July 24, 2007 @ 10:07 pm