Kharabath - Spicy cream of wheat dish

This is the most common South Indian breakfast. The recipe can be altered according to your taste.

For Kharabath, you will need: Serves 4
2-3 cloves and 1 inch of cinnamon bark
2 cups of medium rava/semolina
1 tsp urad dhal/uddina bele
1 tsp channa dhal/kadale bele
½ tsp mustard seeds
4-6 green hot chilies coarsely broken
A sprig of curry leaves
2 cups of vegetables diced – beans, carrot, peas, colored peppers
1 curry powder
4 cups of boiling water
½ cup onion chopped
1 cup tomatoes chopped
2 tsp lime juice
A few sprigs of fresh cilantro to garnish
Salt to taste
3 tsp of oil/ghee
A few whole cashews (optional)

In a shallow pan on medium heat, add a tsp of oil, and roast the channa and urad dhals to a light brown, add in the curry leaves, after a few seconds, add the rava and roast them all on medium heat, until they are aromatic. Set aside.
In a saucepan on medium-high, add 2 tsp of oil, as it shimmers, add in the mustard and cover. When the spluttering subsides, add in the cashews, cloves, cinnamon, green chilies and onions. After a minute, add the tomatoes, when they all get soft, add in the vegetables and roast well. Add in 4 cups of boiling water, salt and curry powder, let it boil for 5 good minutes. Check the vegetables. If they are soft and about ¾ th done, we are good. Lower the heat from medium-high to medium, Hold a spoon or ladle in one hand, stirring the boiling mixture, then in the other hand, gently pour the rava little by little, constantly stirring the mixture to get rid of any lumps. Once all the rava is in the water, stir it real well making sure there are no lumps. Cover it and let it simmer on low for about 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and a spoon of ghee. Serve it hot. Enjoy!

Liked it? try a variation with avarekai, Avarekai uppittu.