Grits Khichdi/ Rava Kichadi

- submitted by Dahlia on 12-23-2007 (Rava Kichadi, Semolina Kichdi)

Ingredients Grits / Rava (roasted) - 1 cup Onion - 1 (chopped) Green Chilly - 2(minced) Tomato - 1(chopped) Carrot - 1(grated) Green Peas - 1/4 cup Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp Curry leaves - 5 Cilantro - handful(chopped) Oil - 1 tblsp Ghee - 1 tsp Salt - to taste Water - 3 cups

Grits Kichadi Method 1. Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds and fry the curry leaves. 2. Saute the onions and green chillies until the onions become transparent. 3. Next add the tomatoes, green peas and grated carrot. Add turmeric powder and salt and let the veggies cook for few minutes. 4. Now add the water and bring it to a boil. 5. Next add the grits/ rava slowly little by little stirring continuously to avoid the formation of lumps. 6. Cover and let it cook for 5 minutes. Keep stirring occasionally until the grits/rava is completely cooked and absorbs all the water. 7. Garnish with cilantro and serve with any chutney or sambhar.

Rava Kichadi without turmeric powder

Rava Coconut Upma

- recipe by Sabina submitted on 07-15-2008

(Semolina Upma, Uppumaavu, Uppittu, Uppindi, Rulanv) Ingredients Rava(semolina) - 1 cup(serves 2) musturd seeds - 1/2 tsp urad dhal - 1 tsp chana dhal - 1 tsp red chillies -2 cnt curry leaves - a bunch Onion - 1 (small) green chillies - 2 or 3 cnt coconut - 2tblsp(grated) Ghee - 2 tsp oil - 2 tsp Water - 1 1/2 cup

Method 1. Roast the rava with few drops of ghee, till is the color starts changing. 2. Cut the onion into small pieces, G.chilli into halvess, and slightly grind the grated coconut(don't use water to grind). 3.In a pan put the oil, then the musturd urad and channa dhal. Fry it till it becomes slight brown color. 4. Add Red Chillies and curry leaves. 5.Then add the onion and Green Chillies and fry it till it's cooked. 6.Then to the coconut add the water and just give a slight squeeze to the coconut , so the milk comes out of it. 7. Now add this coconut and water combo to the pan and add salt as per taste. 8. Allow it to boil, then reduce the flame to simmer. Quickly add rava with constant stirring. 9. Add ghee and close the pan tightly. 10. keep the stove in simmer for around 5 to 6 minutes till all the water is absorbed and the rawa is cooked. 11. Gently fluff up with the spoon and serve with coconut chutney or sugar. Tips - Health consious people can use plain water without adding the coconut to cook the rava. Semiya Biriyani
- submitted by Dahlia on 11-19-2008 (Pasta Biriyani, Vermicelli Biriyani) For all the biriyani lovers, semiya biriyani is a new twist to the traditional biriyani. Traditionally semiya (vermicelli pasta) was used just to make payasam and upma. But those who are not big fans of upma and payasam and those who really love spice food, here is a great alternative with semiya. It is also a good option for those who are trying to avoid rice. You could use the same recipe and make pasta biriyani. For a healthier twist you could try with whole wheat pastas. You could make chicken semiya (pasta) biriyani, vegetable semiya (pasta) biryani, shrimp semiya (pasta) biriyani, Mushroom semiya (pasta) biryani, soya semiya (pasta) biriyani etc.

Ingredients Semiya - 2 cups Chicken pieces - 1 cup (for chicken semiya biriyani)/ Assorted Vegetables* - 1 cup (for vegetable semiya biriyani)/ Shrimp - 1 cup (for shrimp semiya biriyani) etc. Onion - 1 (chopped) Tomato - 1 Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp Green Chillies - 2 Biriyani Masala - 1 tblsp Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp Fennel Powder - 1 tsp Chilly Powder - 1 tsp (or as needed) Mint leaves - handful Cilantro - handful Whole Garam Masala - (1 bay leaf, 2 cinnamon sticks, 4 cloves, 3 cardamon) Yogurt - 1 cup Ghee - 1 tblsp Oil - 1 tblsp Salt - as needed Assorted Vegetables - You could use any vegetables like diced carrot, potato, corn, green peas, capsicum, cauliflower, celery etc.

Chicken Semiya Biriyani Method 1. Marinate the chicken with yogurt, garam masala powder, salt, chilly powder and turmeric powder. 2. Fill a deep pot with water and bring it to a boil. When the water boils, add salt and little oil in the water and put the semiya in. 3. Let the semiya cook until it is 75% done. (It should have a bite to it.). At this stage drain the water completely and keep aside. 4. In the meantime, heat another pan with little oil and ghee. Add some whole garam masala to it. 5. Saute the onions nicely till it turns golden brown. Next add the green chillies and ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell vanishes. 6. Add the chopped tomatoes and let it cook till the tomatoes become nice and mushy. 7. Add chopped mint leaves, cilantro and fennel powder and saute for a minute. 8. Next add the marinated chicken, cover and let it cook in the marinated liquid until the chicken is completely cooked. 9. Check for salt and add the partially cooked semiya to this. Gently toss the masala with the semiya. 10. Cover it tightly with a lid and reduce the flame to the lowest setting and let it stay for 15 minutes. You can also put this in the oven. 11. Garnish with chopped cilantro, toasted nuts and raisins and serve with raita. Serves : 2-3

Vegetable Semiya Biriyani