Rava Kichadi is a great breakfast / dinner option at home and as well as for functions. Rava Kichadi and upma are very close in ingredients but the making, texture and consistency makes Rava Kichadi stand apart.
About Rava Kichadi
Rava Kichadi also called as Sooji / Semolina Khichdi is my favourite since childhood and I love to make it too as it looks so colorful, and I admit I like anything with rava both brown and white. Rava is also called as Semolina or Sooji. Last week when we dined at Hotel Annaporna which is one of the most iconic hotel here in Coimbatore, I ordered kichadi, it was so soft, slightly mushy with melt in the mouth texture, loved it to the core. So that, inspired me to try it that way…though amma makes the best rava kichadi. You can serve rava kichadi with tiffin sambar and coconut chutney as sidedish for kichadi with a cup of filter coffee…the best combo!
Difference between Rava Upma and Rava Kichadi
Rava Upma can also be made with vegetables which resembles close to Rava Kichadi. What makes the major difference between the two is the texture and consistency.Rava upma is mostly crumbly in texture but Rava Kichadi is soft and slightly mushy. Also the ginger garlic paste added to Rava Kichadi makes a taste difference as we don’t add it to upma.
Rava Kichadi Ingredients
Rava / Sooji / Semolina – I have used store bought rava (hard wheat / semolina) for this recipe. Make sure to slow roast rava and use it. Vegetables – Onion, tomato, carrot, peas and beans are used for rava kichadi. Ghee – Ghee is added for flavour but oil should also be added to give it a more greasy loose texture. Tempering – A basic tempering with mustard, curry leaves, chana dal, urad dal and gteen chillies is done here. Ginger garlic paste – Ginger garlic paste is a must for Rava kichadi I would say as it gives a great flavour to this dish. Others – A little amount of turmeric powder is used to give rava kichadi a bright yellow color.
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📖 Recipe Card
Rava Kichadi Recipe Step by Step
1.Heat 1 tablespoon ghee let it melt. 2.Add 1 cup sooji to it and start roasting. 3.Roast for 2-3 mins in low flame without changing the color. 4.Keep stirring to avoid burning at the bottom. 5.Sooji is roasted, Switch off and transfer to a bowl and set aside. 6.Keep the same kadai add 2 tablespoon oil and heat it. Add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds let it splutter. Add 1 teaspoon chana dal, 1/2 teaspoon urad dal, few curry leaves let it splutter. 7.Add 2 green chillies slitted along with 1 heaped teaspoon ginger garlic paste. 8.Saute for a minute. 9.Add 8 to 10 cashews and fry for a minute. 10.Add 1/2 cup onion finely chopped along with required salt to taste and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder. 11.Saute until it turns transparent. 12.Add 1/2 cup tomatoes finely chopped. Saute until mushy and raw smell leaves. 13.Add 1/4 cup carrot finely chopped, 1/3 cup green peas, 1/4 cup sliced beans. 14.Saute for 2 mins. 15.Add 1/4 cup water. 16.Give a quick mix. Once it starts to boil – cook covered. 17.Cook covered for 5-7 mins or until the veggies are almost cooked. 18.Then open and give a quick stir. 19.Add roasted sooji. 20.Give a quick mix. 21.Boil 3 cups of water. For a more goey consistency you can add 4 cups water. 22.Add boiling water to it. Keep stirring to avoid lumps. 23.Start stirring continuously. It will start getting thicker. 24.Water is absorbed and it gets thick. 25.At this stage pat it well on the top. 26.Cook covered for 3 mins in low flame. 27.By now the veggies and rava will be fully cooked. Open and give a quick stir. 28.This is the right consistency. 29.Now add 1 tablespoon coriander leaves, 1 tablespoon ghee. 30.Cook covered for 1 minute and switch off. 31.Finally add 1 teaspoon lemon juice. 32.When you scoop it should be easily be scooped like shown here. Greasy, soft and melt in the mouth rava kichadi is ready. Hot delicious rava kichadi is ready!
Expert Tips
If you want to get the same consistency and tetxure as in hotels you need to add more oil atleast 1/2 cup for 1 cup sooji. They add more oil to retain the same consistency even after few hours of making. If you are serving at once then 3 cups water will be perfect but if you are making an hour ahead of serving time then use 4 cups water. As we make it at home to serve instantly and hot I have added ghee and oil accordingly. Rava kichadi is to be served hot so plan cooking accordingly. As it takes just 20 mins if all the ingredients are ready you can make it just before serving. When you eat you should not feel the texture of the rava much it should just melt in the mouth. So adding the mentioned oil and ghee is a must to get the perfect texture. Roasting rava gives nice aroma and texture to rava kichadi. Be careful while adding hot boiling water, also make sure to keept stirring to avopid lumps. You can add 3.5 cups to 4 cups for 1 cup rava. If you add more than that it would be more like porridge in consistency.
1.Is Kichadi and Khichdi same?
No kichadi and khichdi are not the same. Kichadi is made with rava and is one of the most common south indian breakfast but Khichdi is made with rice and dal which is one of the most common comfort food from North India.
2.What type of sooji / rava to use?
Fine sooji which we use for upma should be used for rava kichadi.
