Huggi

Ingredients

• - 400g mashed rice and lentils
• - 2 tbsp groundnut or coconut oil
• - 2 onions
• - 2 tomatoes
• - 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• - 1 tsp red chilli powder
• - 1 tsp coriander powder
• - 1/4 tsp turmeric
• - 1 sprig curry leaves
• - Salt to taste

Method

1. Wash and cook wheat berries: Wash 1 cup whole wheat (godhi / huggi wheat). Soak overnight. Pressure cook with 2.5 cups water for 8-10 whistles until very soft and the berries have burst open.
2. Add jaggery: Add half cup powdered dark jaggery to the hot cooked wheat. Stir until completely dissolved.
3. Make coconut milk: Blend 1 cup fresh grated coconut with 1 cup warm water. Squeeze and strain for thick coconut milk.
4. Add cardamom: Add 1 tsp cardamom powder to the wheat-jaggery mixture. Mix well.
5. Add coconut milk: Reduce heat to very low. Add thick coconut milk. Stir gently 3-4 minutes. Never boil after coconut milk is added.
6. Fry garnish: Heat 2 tbsp ghee. Fry 15 cashews until golden. Add 1 tbsp raisins until they puff up.
7. Add garnish: Add fried cashews and raisins to the huggi along with the ghee.
8. Adjust consistency: Huggi should be slightly thick but flowing — not stiff. Add a little warm water if needed.
9. Add more ghee: Add 1 more tbsp ghee and stir gently.
10. Serve: Huggi is a traditional Karnataka sweet wheat porridge. Serve warm during festivals.