Rawa Semiya Khichadi

Directions

• Begin by lightly toasting the rawa and vermicelli in a tablespoon of ghee over medium heat until they acquire a subtle change in color. Once done, set them aside.
• Prepare your vegetables by slicing the onion lengthwise and dicing the tomato into small pieces. Split the green chillies and finely chop both garlic and ginger. Alternatively, you can also use ready-made ginger-garlic paste.
• In a kadai, heat the oil and add mustard. Once the mustard seeds start crackling, introduce bengal gram dal, bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and cardamom. Sauté these ingredients briefly to release their flavors.
• Next, toss in cashew nuts, but be careful to only fry them for a few seconds to avoid burning.
• Now, add the sliced onions, split green chillies, and curry leaves, and sauté them for about two minutes, or until the onions turn translucent.
• Introduce either the finely chopped ginger and garlic or the ginger-garlic paste, and cook until the raw aroma dissipates.
• At this point, add the diced tomatoes and give the mixture a good stir, allowing the tomatoes to soften.
• Proceed by adding the chopped vegetables, blending them well with the rest of the ingredients. Sprinkle turmeric powder and salt over the vegetable mix, and pour in a bit of water (about half a cup), just enough to cover the vegetables.
• Cover the kadai with a lid and let it cook on medium heat until the vegetables are tender.
• Now, pour in 5 to 5.5 cups of preferably hot water and bring the mixture to a boil. As it starts boiling, reduce the heat to low and gradually add the previously toasted rawa and vermicelli, stirring continuously to prevent clumping.
• Cover the kadai again and simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the rawa and vermicelli soften and absorb all the water.
• Once done, turn off the heat, sprinkle freshly chopped coriander leaves for garnish, and then remove the kadai from the stove. Enjoy your flavorful and hearty dish!