Origin: Chhattisgarh, India
Preparation Time: About 20-30 minutes (excluding resting time)
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of fine sooji (rava or cream of wheat)
- 1¼ cups of water (divided)
- ¼ cup of finely chopped onions
- 1-2 chopped green chillies (about ½ to 1 teaspoon)
- ½ teaspoon of finely chopped ginger
- 2-3 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves
- ¼ teaspoon of carom seeds (ajwain)
- A pinch of red chilli powder
- A pinch of turmeric powder
- Salt, to taste
- Cooking oil
Instructions:
- In a bowl, combine 1 cup of sooji with 1 cup of water. Mix well.
- Allow the batter to rest for 20-30 minutes. If planning ahead, you can soak the rava in water overnight in the refrigerator.
- After resting, the sooji will have absorbed most of the water, becoming soft.
- Add the onions, green chillies, ginger, and coriander leaves to the batter.
- Mix well before adding the carom seeds, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, and salt.
- Combine all the ingredients.
- Pour in the remaining ¼ cup of water and mix thoroughly. The batter should have a medium-thick consistency.
- Heat a pan and lightly grease it with oil.
- Pour some batter onto the pan, spreading it gently to make small to medium-sized cheelas. Maintain a low heat to prevent the batter from cooking too quickly.
- Allow the cheela to cook on low to medium heat. Once the top looks cooked, drizzle some oil around its edges and over the top.
- Spread the oil evenly using a spoon.
- When the bottom turns a light golden color, flip the cheela to cook the other side.
- Once both sides are golden and the onions look caramelized, the rava cheela is done.
- Serve hot or warm, preferably with a chutney or sauce of your choice.
Note: This dish is a delightful blend of flavors and textures, offering a healthy and tasty breakfast option. Enjoy your meal!
About The Author
