Rava/Sooji Masala Khichdi/Rava –Semiya Kichadi/Semolina-Vermicelli Kichdi

Rava Kichdi is one of M’s favorite, though he doesn’t like the Upma version. I love rava in any form be it upma, kichdi, dosa, idly, kesari, pongal pretty much any form!  When I was a kid I used to wonder why people hate upma when they are so delicious.
Later I learnt that Upma needs some techniques and practice to bloom out as a finger-licker! Amma makes the best upma that melts in your mouth with varied textures from urad dal, onion and channa dal and the strong flavors of ginger….yumm! She almost always adds veggies and even without those they tasted delicious. The little tip she gave me when I started cooking on my own was to add oil, little by little as the upma cooks and also little more than needed. The amount of water plays a crucial role in the consistency of the upma and the amount of water you add depends on the semolina/rava you use. However she never made the masala kichdi which was introduced to me by my MIL. She adds half and half of rava and semiya which was different and also it had spices which were not usually added. So when I tried, totally loved it to the core and from then this recipe is a keeper.

Ingredients:

Semolina/Rava-1/2 cup

Vermicelli/Semiya-1/2 cup

Mixed vegetables-1 cup (I used diced carrots, beans and Peas)

Onion-1 big, sliced

Tomato-1 big, chopped

Ginger-1 inch piece, finely chopped

Green chilies-4, slit

Turmeric Powder-1/4 tsp

Fresh Coconut-1/2 cup, shredded

Water-4 cups

Salt-as needed

To Temper:

Mustard seeds- 1tsp

Urad dal-1 tsp

Channa dal-1 tsp

Curry leaves-1 sprig

Bay leaf-1

Cloves-2

Cinnamon- 1 inch piece

Cardamom-2 pods

Fennel seeds-1 tsp

Vegetable Oil-2 tbsp

Ghee-2 tbsp

How it Happened:

1. First dry roast the rava and vermicelli separately until they are slightly golden in color and set them aside.

2. Heat 2 tbsp of oil and 1 tbsp of ghee in a kadai, add the ingredients given under the ‘to temper’ list and when they pop, add onion, ginger and green chilies.

3. When the onions turn glossy, add the tomatoes and cook for a minute. Then add the veggies and sauté them for 5 minutes in medium flame.

4. Add salt and turmeric powder and mix well. Add water and cook covered until the veggies are cooked.

5. Now simmer the flame and slowly add the rava and semiya while stirring simultaneously so they don’t form any lumps.

6. Keep stirring and break any lumps formed. When the mixture cooks, it will start sticking so add te remaining ghee slowly along the contours of the kadai.

7. Cook covered for 5 minutes in simmer or until cooked.

8. Now remove the lid, and stir the mixture. It will leave the sides and will go along the strokes of the ladle.

9. Finally add the shredded coconut and mix well.

10. Switch off the flame and serve hot.

Notes:

*Take care not to burn or over roast the rava and vermicelli. If they are already roasted, skip this step.

* Do not cook the tomatoes for a long time. They will turn mushy and also changes the color and taste.

* You can add any veggies of your choice. Bell peppers/ capsicum make a wonderful addition.

* When slowly added the rava forms very few lumps which can be broken immediately while stirring. But keep stirring while adding the rava and semiya.

* Do not skip the ghee as it adds a lot of flavor to the dish and also do not reduce the oil and ghee as they result in sticky mass. Taste can take over guilt you see!!

* The trio spice (cardamom, cinnamon and clove) can be skipped.

* The shredded coconut adds a great texture and mild sweetness but you can skip it if you gonna pair it with coconut chutney. Otherwise it can be had as such.

* They taste good hot or cold.

* You can add cashews while doing tempering.