Vijayannante Masala Kanjikada in Trivandrum

Street food vendors often serve us unique recipes which would make them distinct from any other restaurants we normally experience on our travels. They often surprise us with the kind of mesmerizing flavours they come up with and the common people appreciate them as an integral part of their routine life. Some of these street food shops operate all throughout the day whereas others become active only towards the evening. Vijayannante Masala Kanjikada in Trivandrum is a simple street food shop by the roadside, serving a truly special rice gruel dish called Masala Kanji or Biriyani Kanji. Even on scorching summer days, people visit this food spot to have delicious Masala Kanji at noon time.

It’s a small shop beside a wall by the side of a road and my friend, Harri has explained to me the name of the location as Chembupanipura on Kochar Road. Vijayannan is the one who is in charge of this kiosk and he looks busy serving the delicious rice gruel to the customers. The food spot is functioning beneath a huge tree and that gives the people visiting the food spot much-needed relief from the sultry weather. We could see plastic sheets being tied over the shop to give the customers some respite from the rain. This street food kiosk has a wooden bench and some chairs for people to enjoy their food. Even though we have used this facility to sit down and have our food, many people who came in looked as if they were not bothered about the seating and were having their food standing beneath the tree. In the backdrop, we could see several movie posters and notices on the wall close to the shop.

Our vlog at Vijayannante Masala Kanjikada in Trivandrum

Masala Kanji or Biriyani Kanji is the main attraction of this food spot. The biriyani masala used in this dish takes care of the flavour and the presence of vegetables like carrots and beans gives it an improved experience. As I was about to have this special rice gruel, the rich aroma of the spices being used in this dish really caught my attention. We have also found the presence of Rambha leaves in the rice gruel and this helps to impart a basmati flavour to the recipe. Masala kanji is served with two pickle varieties like mango and lemon, in fact, these were mixed with rice for an increased flavour. The Papadavada or pappad with masala and Thairumulaku or salted curd chillies were also served along with the rice gruel. Salt is also placed on the table to be used according to our taste.

Chukku Kappi or Dry ginger coffee is another signature recipe of this street food spot. People who suffer from sore throat and the common cold would find it helpful to have a glass of this medicinal coffee. The use of spicy ingredients in the coffee makes it suitable for them to help them find relief from their ailments. Meanwhile, we also tried out a glass of dry ginger coffee towards the end and it felt really special. We could feel the spiciness of the masalas used in the coffee as it goes down all the way to the stomach. Vijayannante Masala Kanjikada in Trivandrum is truly a crown jewel among street food vendors as it serves amazing food for the common man in a budget-friendly manner. If you happen to travel to Trivandrum and if you are in the mood to have rice gruel for lunch, try out this small eatery which would surely be a wonderful experience.