Neer Aagaram | Fermented Rice Porridge | Pazhaya Soru Kanji

Neer aagaram or neeragaram called fermented rice porridge, a healthy morning breakfast. A simple healthy and nutritious meal, made with leftover rice.

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Jump to:

• Porridge
• What is Neer Aagaram | Leftover Rice Porridge?
• Why Fermented Rice?
• The Health Benefits of Pazhaya Kanji
• How I served this Nutritious Porridge
• The Ingredients for this Humble Breakfast
• Step by Step Instructions to make Pazhaya Kanji
• Some FAQ's
• Neer Aagaram | Fermented Rice Porridge | Pazhaya Soru Kanji

Porridge

Porridge, Conjee or kanji is an essential part of Asian Cooking. The English porridge usually refers to the oatmeal porridge, which is usually sweet. Whereas our Conjee or kanji refers to the savory porridge.

Infants commonly start weaning with porridge. I remember feeding my babies this rice flakes and carrot porridge. Easy to digest and also a great way to experiment with taste for their age.

Even adults when sick, prefer a simple porridge like this mixed millets kanji or ragi porridge.

Most of these porridges sound like recent inventions. However, our grandparents and great-grandparents had something even more nutritious and hearty. It was also very easy and simple to make, the humble leftover rice porridge.

What is Neer Aagaram | Leftover Rice Porridge?

Neer means 'water' in tamil and aagaram means food. So Neer aagaram literally translates to Water food. It is called by many names like thanni soru, pazhaya soru, pazhaya kanji etc.

This simple recipe involves fermenting cooked rice overnight in water. The next morning, mash the rice into the water by hand, then add buttermilk and salt. Serve with desired accompaniments. In simple terms, leftover rice porridge.

Fermented foods have been an important part of the human diet from the time immemorial. When i asked amma, she said they eat it just with salt and buttermilk. But the rice is usually soaked in starch, that is removed from the cooked rice. I too remember my aunt making it with strained starch with a small amount of curd.

This neer aagaram can also be made with millets. Like this varagu arisi neeraagaram and bajra neeraagaram.

Why Fermented Rice?

Fermented rice has been a staple in the Indian diet for centuries. It is a widely enjoyed breakfast food. It is called by Panta Bhat in Assam , Geel Bhat in Bihar, Chaddannam in Telegu. With slight variations in the way it is prepared and served.

But the base of all these names remains the same Fermented rice. It contains a high amount of probiotics. These probiotics are associated with a wide range of health benefits, including improved digestion and immunity.

Studies have shown that the availability of micronutrients like B complex, vitamin K, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and selenium increases drastically in rice, after the the process of fermentation.

Not only this simple rice kanji, even idly, dosa, uthappam too are part of this fermented food family.

The Health Benefits of Pazhaya Kanji

According to Dr. Madhumita Barooah, an academic researcher "About 100 gm of cooked rice has only 3.4 mg of iron. For the same quantity of rice fermented for 12 hours, the iron content went up to 73.91 mg. Likewise, sodium, which was 475 mg, decreased to 303 mg. Potassium increased to 839 mg. Calcium increased 21 mg per 100 gm of cooked rice to 850 mg after 12 hours of fermentation.

All this benefits just from leaving the rice to ferment overnight. While my mom has had it just with salt and buttermilk. As time evolved, we got creative and serve this humble rice gruel with lot of options.

How I served this Nutritious Porridge

A simple meal can be elevated and made into a spread with the condiments. I served this humble rice porridge with a variety of condiment for the flavors and texture.

On my plate

• Crispy fried lotus stem
• fresh cucumber and carrots
• Coconut thuvayal
• You can also add some lime or mango pickle too along with this.

The Ingredients for this Humble Breakfast

• Rice : The main ingredient for this nutritious breakfast is cooked rice.
• Liquid : For this kanji have used plain water to soak the rice and greek yogurt to mix it with.
• Spices : I have added salt, hing, and green chili. Ginger and fresh coriander stalks are also included to make this porridge.

• Garnish : I have added finely chopped carrots and cucumber to this porridge. You can also add shallots, fried curd chili, raw mango etc.
• Add-ons : i have served this porridge with a side of coconut chutney, fried lotus stems and fresh veggies.

Step by Step Instructions to make Pazhaya Kanji

Please check recipe card below for exact measurements of each ingredient used and also for the detailed instruction

• Soak leftover rice in water and leave it overnight. If the climate supports on the kitchen counter. If not, leave it as long as possible on the kitchen counter and then you can refrigerate it later.

• Next day morning, take the rice. Mash it roughly with your hands.
• Take the greek yogurt with water, chili, ginger and coriander stalks. Add salt and hing Blend it smooth.
• Add this spiced buttermilk to mashed rice. Add chopped cucumber and carrots to this and serve.

Some FAQ's