Chow Chow Bhath is a popular breakfast menu in most of the restaurants in Bangalore. Chow Chow Bhath is nothing but a combination of Sweet and savoury dish made out of Semolina / Sooji. 

Sweet dish is called Kesari Bhath – Kesari meaning saffron and the savoury dish is called Khara Bhath.

I had some fresh figs delivered in my weekly organic produce basket, so I tried making kesari bhaath with some fresh figs. It definitely was worth the try. 

Below is the recipe for Figs Kesari Bhath and Khara Bhath.

FIGS KESARI BHATH:

INGREDIENTS:

Sooji / Semolina (coarse) – 1 cup

Ghee – ½ cup

Sugar – 1 cup

Water – 2 cups

Saffron – few strands

Chopped nuts (almond, cashews and raisins) – ¼ cup (i had only almonds so used just that)

Chopped fresh figs – 2 to 3

Method:

In a vessel, add water, sugar and saffron strands and bring it to boil.

Meanwhile in a wide bottomed pan, heat the ghee, add the chopped almonds, figs and sauté for 2 to 3 mins.

Then add the semolina / sooji and sauté till you get the aroma of the roasted sooji. This should take another 7-8 mins. Keep stirring making sure that you do not burn the sooji.

Once the sooji is roasted nicely, add boiling water to it, stir continuously and make sure no lumps are formed.

Allow the sooji to cook well soaking all the water. 

The Kesari bhath will have a little sticky texture due to the figs but the taste is simply out of the world.

Your Figs Kesari Bhath is ready to be served.

Now lets look at the the khara bhath recipe. Khara Bhath can be prepared with a lot of variations. You can add different veggies to it or make it with bare minimum ingredients. 

KHARA BHATH:

INGREDIENTS:

Sooji / semolina (coarse) – 1 cup

Water – 2 cups

Oil – 2 tbsp

Salt – as per taste

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Urad dal – ½ tsp

Channa dal – ½ tsp

Green chillies – 3 – chopped coarsely

Curry leaves – few – chopped

METHOD:

In a vessel, boil 2 cups of water.

Meanwhile in a wide bottomed pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds, urad dal and channa dal. Sauté till it splutters. 

Now add the green chillies and curry leaves.

Then add turmeric powder and salt. Mix well and sauté for couple of minutes.

Now add the sooji and roast till you get the aroma. This will take about 7-8 mins.

Once sooji is roasted well, add the boiling water slowly to the sooji mixture. Stir continuously making sure no lumps are formed.

Cook till the water is soaked by the sooji.

Your khara Bhath is ready.

Now, serve both the dishes with some chutney or chutney powder if needed. A filling and sumptuous breakfast 🙂