Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Khara Bath (Vegetables and semolina)

   If you have been to Bangalore, India you will see a lot of Khara Bath, chow chow bath etc served in the 'sagar' restaurants.  My husband loves this stuff.  I could never understand for the life of me how someone asks for 'upma,' as I call it, when in a restaurant.  I mean, you have choices of batura, puris or even dosas.  Well, like all things goes in life men and women are wired different and I attributed this taste of his also as being another of the man syndrome.  However, after trying several times to imitate the taste of the restaurant khara bath at home and eating them I have developed a taste for it myself.  Now, once in a while we make some khara bath for breakfast and have decided man or woman you can enjoy this food.

  Weather Report: When its awful I can't help but let you in on some news on the subject.  Its dreary, murky, awful outside. I have been stuck at home except for an occasional walk around the block now and then for the last week or so and its a bother.  Without dragging you into my woes let me suffice by saying I have bad weather around here and a dish that looks like 'spring just arrived' helps lift my spirit a wee bit.  Some cheer, any cheer for this weather.  Cheers!!




Ingredients:
Semolina                   - 1 Cup
Butter                        - 1 Tbspn
Oil                             - 2 Tspn
Mustard                    - 1/2 tspn
Onions                      - 1/2 cup chopped
Green Chilies             - 3 or 4 thai chilies
Tomato                     - 1/2 cup finely chopped
Green Peas               - 1/2 cup
Carrot                       - 1 medium size finely chopped
Bell Pepper               - 1/2  of a medium sized pepper about 1/4 cup when chopped fine
Curry Leaves            - 1 sprig
Coriander Leaves      - 3 - 4 sprigs finely chopped
Asafoetida                 - 1/4 cup (if you do not like the taste then just a pinch or so)
Turmeric Powder      - 1/4 tspn
Coriander Powder    - 1/2 tspn


Method:
1. Boil 3 cups of water and set aside
2. Heat oil in a pan and either add clarified butter or splutter the mustard
3. Add the chopped onions and saute along with the butter (I add butter at this point or sometimes even later because if we try to add it along with the oil the butter turn an awful brown color)
4. Once the onions are golden brown add turmeric, asafoetida and coriander powder and mix and quickly add in the tomatoes and stir to avoid burning off of the powders
5. Once the tomatoes are cooked for a couple of minutes add all your vegetables and stir fry them to cook
6. Once you vegetables are all done or about 3/4 done add a cup of the upma rava (semolina) and stir
7. Stir until you can hear crackling sound or you can detect the aroma of fried rava.  If you are not sure what you are looking for make sure you stir fry the rava atleast for 5 minutes making sure its does not burn
8. Add chopped coriander leaves and stir it in along with 1 tspn of salt.  It maybe a good practice to add the salt to the water and tasting to make sure its salty enough.  I added about 1 tspn salt and it worked well but you might need a little more or less as per your taste.
9. Add the boiling water slowly stirring all the while.  Make sure you do this at medium to low fire because it tends to bubble and splatter and if not careful and you get it on your hand it stings and may even burn.   
10. Taste to make sure the semolina is cooked which it will in a couple of minutes
11.  The dish is kind of gluey and sets on cooling.  Serve hot with coconut chutney and pickle

Contributor: Sunitha

56 comments:

  1. Woww beautiful khara bath, looks tempting and makes me hungry..

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  2. i have tasted this in restaurants but never made at home this way..

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  3. wow yummy bath.. Nice click..

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  4. Sounds interesting..I have never tried this..looks tempting...nice clicks..Thanks for the recipe Sunitha.

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  5. Wowwwww.. beautiful clicks.. looks soo tempting.. :)

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  6. looks yummy...i will try this

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  7. All ur photo clicks r excellent and I'm sure dat u also use some s/w to edit them...may I know wat s/w do u use???

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  8. beautiful click da ..
    No I dont accept this one as a man syndrome.. I love this dish crazily after coming to bangalore. I have even taken pains to go to a particular restaurant to have this when Hari was like why the hell u r dragging me all the way for 'Upma'. I must accept this is the best of karnataka dishes da..

    I have never thought of trying it on my own but urs definitely convinces me to try it out .

    Looks scrumptious da

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  9. Looks awesome! I so agree with u, I agape everytime when my dad orders idli and kara bath @ sagar restaurants!

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  10. I have had this prob once or twice in blr whn i was in hostel for a while and i hated it...as for that matter i hate upma as well...until i came 2 UK and then anythin which came in packets was a saving grace..the instant upma was a blessing nd now we have it on an a off..still instant though :)
    ...your picture is however making me wish i liked the bath

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  11. That very ture..chow chow bath is like most famous tiffin in bangalore...i too make this at home.

    Khara bath looks delicious.

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  12. Sunitha,
    You are absolutely right during our stay in Bangalore we regularly have chow chow bath for breakfast. Your's look tempting. Nice click as usual.

    Deepa
    Hamaree Rasoi

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  13. Bangalorean loves the chow chow bath! That looks more appetizing!

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  14. I have never tasted this. It looks really yummy..will give it a try sometime soon..Lovely clicks!!

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  15. what i can say is im also a big fan for this upma...its not like our normal upma but something different and tastes good...i love to have it....and urs is looking yummy too....

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  16. nicely done and great clicks...

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  17. LOL! I know. Imagine paying to eat "Uppittu" at the restaurant, right?! But somehow it tastes so much better there specially when it comes with aronatic sweet Kesari bhath on the side.
    Khara Bhath looks yummy, nice color.

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  18. Yummy khara bath... Lovely click.

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  19. wow delicious one..yeah mansyndrome i like the term..frankly speaking its my hus favorite one yarr..thats cool
    nice presenatation..and loved the weather update..hihihi

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  20. true its one of the men syndrome. well, upma looks colorful and delicious

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  21. Nice simple breakfast dish that looks devinetoo.

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  22. Namitha,

    Kharabath looks yummy and perfect. nice click too.

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  23. The kara bath looks really yummy :) lovely clicks!

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  24. Lol on your comment on men and women being different and I have to agree with you 100%.

    Love the pic, really yummy looking.

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  25. Love this khara bath, as you said had these a lot duuring college days in blore..Great post CC's ..Thx for sharing

    Love
    Kairali sisters

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  26. Lol@ asking for kara bhath at restaurants..been there, seen that..I can never make it this eye catchy..it looks great

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  27. A very interesting dish, a must try!

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  28. This looks delicious and your pictures are amazing.

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  29. like always awesome clicks....loved your version of the kharabath, will try it some time:)

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  30. Ur version of uppuma is really tempting dear! Just feel like grabbing the whole plate and have it all myself now! ;)

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  31. a must try version of upma !! nice pics...I can understand how you feel abt the weather..i still feel its winter !!

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  32. dear i dont have words....beautiful pic and delicious upma!

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  33. lovely breakfast menu..my hubbys fav,my bro's fav,my mil fav...hmmm...urs look droolworthy..and those clicks...WOW

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  34. New recipe to me but looks delicious!

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  35. What a delicious bhath recipe!Great clicks as always! Looks yum!

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  36. delicious looks beautiful....nice photos too

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  37. Thats awesome click dearie.. and I love the kara bhath and its always quick fix dish and handy too.. I always adore ur stills... perfect...

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  38. beautiful picture and love the tomato carving.
    love the colur of the karabath.delicious.

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  39. wow! your khara bath looks tempting and delicious. Thanks for sharing.
    Nice pics.

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  40. wow what a beautiful click...so simple but presented it so beautifully...

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  41. I call it upma too; what a delicious breakfast you have there!! rich in vegetables and filling, and that rose and presentation for this dish , wow ! that kinda breakfast can make my whole day bright and lively in spite of the gloomy climate :)

    we had cloudy days last week too but this week is all bright and sunny!!! cheers!!!

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  42. We too make rava kichdi in the same way dear in tamil nadu taste very good than normal upma...khara bhath looks delicious sure it will taste spicy n yummy dear.

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  43. Fantastic khara bath! My hubby's fav and love to have with ghee.

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  44. The weather is same here Sunitha..so gloomy that it makes me sad for no reason. Khara bath looks awesome!!!

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  45. You've made the mundane kharabhat look so scrummy. Love the clicks as always...makes me wanna eat it! And yes, brings back a lot of good memories of home!

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  46. Wowwwww.. beautiful clicks.. looks soo tempting.. :)

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  47. Lovely khara bhat...like your version too..soon I'll try it out!

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  48. Khara Bhat looks delicious! As always awesome click!

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