Chow Chow Bhaat

Brunch Menu
Khaara bhaat/ upma
Kesari bhaat/rawa halwa
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Chow chow bhaat

Chow chow bhaat is a delicious combo of sweet and savory semolina served across Karnataka, more precisely Bangalore.  Served for breakfast or as a high tea snack, the savory part is khaara bhaat or upma and the sweet part is the kesari bhaat or rawa halwa. If you have never tried the two together you might wonder how they will taste paired up in a meal. Believe me each flavor balances and complements the other really well. Served over a banana leaf with the aroma of ghee, roasted suji, and the melt in the mouth texture, this is one super combo.

Both the dishes require slow roasting of rawa and hence time and patience. Needless to say its almost impossible to whip these for breakfast on a weekday. We usually make this for a Sunday brunch with a cup of hot coffee for a truly satisfying meal. 

Khaara bhaat (upma)

Khaara Bhaat (semolina upma)

Ingredients:

1 cup semolina
2 tbsp oil (or ghee/clarified butter)
2 cups veggies (I used peas, carrots, yellow beans and green beans)
2 1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
Pinch hing (asafoetida)
Few curry leaves
1 tbsp roasted chana dal
2-3 green chilies, chopped
1 inch ginger, minced
Salt and red chili powder to taste

1. In a pan on medium heat dry roast the semolina till it turns lightly golden and starts to impart a pleasant roasted aroma. Keep aside.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in another pan and add hing and mustard seeds. Let these crackle for a few seconds. Add the curry leaves, chana dal, green chilies and ginger. Saute for a few seconds and then add the vegetables. 
3. Season with salt and red chili powder. Mix well, simmer and cover for 7-10 minutes. Give it a quick stir midway after 5 minutes. 
4. When peas and beans are cooked through, add water and increase the heat to high. Season with some salt and then bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
5. Slowly pour the roasted semolina into the boiling mixture, while stirring with one hand to avoid any lumps.
6. Briskly continue stirring on high heat till all the syrup is absorbed and upma starts leaving some ghee on the sides of the pan. Remove from heat. Serve hot. 

Kesari bhaat (rawa halwa)

Kesari Bhaat (rawa/suji halwa or sheera)

Ingredients:

1 cup fine rawa (semolina)

3/4 -1 cup ghee (clarified butter)

3/4 - 1 cup sugar

2 cups water plus 1 cup milk

Pinch turmeric powder (haldi)

10-12 strands kesar (saffron) dissolved in a tsp of water

6 Blanched almonds skinned and chopped

6 green cardamoms skinned and crushed fine 

1. The basic proportion to make suji halwa is suji:ghee:sugar:water - 1:1:1:3. I modify it a bit by substituting 1 cup milk for a cup of water and reducing the quantity of sugar and ghee. You can follow any proportion you like. 
2. Mix sugar in the water-milk mixture and heat till sugar dissolves. Add kesar and turmeric powder and keep aside. 
3. Heat ghee in a pan and lightly toast the almonds and raisins. Take out and keep aside.
4. In the same pan add suji. Roast while constantly stirring on medium low heat till suji imparts a pleasant roasted aroma. Make sure the semolina does not brown, otherwise the finished product will not get the golden yellow hue.
5. Add the sugar syrup to it briskly stirring on high heat till all the syrup is absorbed and halwa starts leaving some ghee on the sides of the pan. Remove from heat. 
6. Stir in toasted almonds, raisins and cardamon. Serve hot.