Rava kichadi is a South Indian breakfast dish made from fine rava or cream of wheat or sooji, cooked with vegetables, spices, herbs and ghee.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 5 minutes
  • Cook time: 15 minutes
  • Total time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 3
  • Category: Breakfast, Brunch
  • Cuisine: South Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 cup rava (- 150 grams, fine textured (sooji or cream of wheat or semolina flour))
  • 3 tablespoons ghee
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon chana dal ((split and husked bengal gram))
  • 1 teaspoon urad dal ((split and husked black gram))
  • ⅓ cup chopped onions
  • 1 or 2 green chilies (- chopped or ½ to 1 teaspoon chopped green chillies)
  • ½ teaspoon finely chopped ginger
  • 8 to 9 curry leaves (- chopped)
  • ¼ cup finely chopped carrots (or grated carrots)
  • ¼ cup green peas (- fresh or frozen)
  • ½ cup finely chopped tomatoes
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 2 tablespoons coriander leaves
  • 3 cups water
  • salt (as required)

Method

Roasting rava

  1. Heat a pan or wok or kadai and then add rava to it.
  2. Keep the heat to a low while roasting rava.
  3. Stir often when the rava is being roasted.
  4. When the rava granules change their color and you get a nice aroma from the rava, then switch off the heat.
  5. Remove the roasted rava in a plate. Keep aside.

Making rava kichadi

  1. In the same pan or kadai, add 3 tablespoons ghee. Keep the heat to a low or medium-low.
  2. Once the ghee becomes hot, add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
  3. When the mustard seeds begin to splutter, add chana dal and urad dal.
  4. On a low heat, fry till the lentils become golden. Make sure not to burn the lentils.
  5. Then add finely chopped onions. Sauté till the onions turn translucent.
  6. Next add chopped green chillies, finely chopped ginger and chopped curry leaves.
  7. Stir and mix.
  8. Add finely chopped carrots, green peas and finely chopped tomatoes. Mix to combine.
  9. Then add turmeric powder.
  10. Mix again and saute for 3 to 4 minutes on low heat.
  11. Then pour 3 cups water. Add salt as per taste.
  12. Increase the heat and let the water come to a rolling boil.
  13. Once the water comes to a boil, then reduce the heat and add the rava in batches.
  14. As soon as you add a batch of roasted rava, mix very well. So that lumps are not formed.
  15. Add another batch of rava. Mix again.
  16. This way add the rava in 3 to 4 batches and mix very well.
  17. Cover the pan with a lid and on low heat, steam the rava kichadi for about 2 to 3 minutes.
  18. Once done then remove the lid and add 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves. Mix very well.
  19. Serve Rava Kichadi accompanied with some lemon wedges and coconut chutney. While serving, you can also add some roasted or fried cashews.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.