Sooji,or suji (pronounced soo-jee), andrawa(pronounced ruh-waa) are Hindi words for granulated wheat, otherwise known as semolina. All are from the same powder or flour that is made from wheat.
All in a Name
Sooji is the word used for semolina in North India and Pakistan. Rawa is the name for semolina in South India. The ingredientis not only used as a batteringredient in many Indian dishes, but it is also used as the main ingredient in numerous foods, both sweet and savory, like upma and rawa laddoo.
For batters, a fine version of sooji is used, whereas when it is the main ingredient, it is used in a more coarse form.
Rawa, sometimes called rava, is best known as an ingredient inrawa laddoo, a popular Indian sweet which is prepared on festivals like Diwali, Sri Krishna Jayanti, and Ganesh Chaturthi.Sooji ka halwais another Indian-inspired dessert that has a pudding-like texture. It is made with many ingredients including lentils, veggies, fruits, and grains.Rawa is used to make idlis,ravadosa, and uttapam, common foods in South India.
Technically, semolina, as you probably know it, is the coarsely purifiedwheat middlingsofdurum wheat.In India, itmay be described as the residue of milled material, after the flour is grounded in a flour mill (chakki). It is passed through a fine mesh until the flour and semolina are separated.
Buying the Ingredient
There are many kinds of semolina available on the market. One of the most commonly known is Bombay rava or sooji. It is made of whole wheat grain granulated and refined. It is generally made of a type of wheat called mottai godumai.There is another form ofitknown aschamba rava, which is an extract ofwheat flour. In some cases, you can get maida flour, which would make it much finer.Maidais awheat flourfrom India that is finely milled without anybran, refined, and bleached; it closely resembles all-purpose flour in the U.S.
There is one more form of semolina made of samba godumai (with a long body and slightly sharp edges on both sides), which comes in fine granules and resembles small sizedaliya, orfinely broken wheat grain, in western and northern India. Also, samba godumaican sometimes be called bansirava.
Coarse Versus Fine
All over the world, there are thousands of types of semolina. The best way to ensure you have the right one for your recipe is by buying it coarse and using a blender, food processor, or spice grinder to get it to the consistency you need.
Common Recipes
No matter what you call it, semolina is a versatile ingredient that you may use in dishes such as upma, a breakfast favorite. Vegans might use this form of wheat to lend some substance to a spicy daal. If you want to satisfy your hunger with something simple, add semolina to flour, mix in a few ingredients for flavor, and serve up the delectable crackers known as mathri. For a more elaborate repast, invite your friends over and impress them by serving prawns rawa fry.
FAQs
Sooji is the word used for semolina in North India and Pakistan. Rawa is the name for semolina in South India. The ingredient is not only used as a batter ingredient in many Indian dishes, but it is also used as the main ingredient in numerous foods, both sweet and savory, like upma and rawa laddoo.
What is authentic Indian food like? ›
Traditional Indian food is renowned worldwide for its wonderful use of herbs and spices, and its diverse range of deep-fried snacks, pastries, curries, gravies, sauces, rice dishes, tandoor-cooked meats, vegetable dishes, chutneys, breads and sweets.
What is sooji Rava also known as? ›
Suji is also known as semolina which is called rava in Indian households and it is a by-product of durum wheat. Suji is coarse middling made from durum wheat.
What is rava in Indian cooking? ›
Rava is coarsely ground wheat to a fine or semi-fine texture. It is not floury but has a fine grainy texture. Rava is also called cream of wheat or farina or semolina flour in English. To make upma, use the finer textured rava.
Can I use rava instead of suji? ›
Semolina & rava are the same, also generically called broken wheat or durum wheat in some places of the world. The difference between semolina/rava & sooji, is that the former is ground finer than the latter, so using either alters the texture of the food it it used for/in.
What is suji called in English? ›
Suji in English is granulated wheat, better known as semolina. You may also see it spelt as sooji, but both suji and sooji are Hindi words. You will commonly find that the word suji is used in North India, whereas rawa is used in South India.
Who introduced rava in India? ›
That's right, the popular breakfast dish was created in the iconic Mavalli Tiffin Rooms of Bengaluru less than a hundred years ago. Mavalli Tiffin Room, famously known as MTR, was founded by Parampalli Yagnanaryana Maiya and his brothers in 1924.
Are Dalia and sooji the same? ›
Sooji Vs Dalia:
While semolina is the final and processed version of it, dalia is just the finely broken wheat and is not refined. Interestingly, these products are used in preparing similar dishes be it upma, kichidi, halwa and even dosas.
Is suji and UPMA same? ›
Ingredients and preparation
Upma is typically made by first lightly dry roasting semolina (called rava or sooji in India). The semolina is then taken off the fire and kept aside while spices, lentils, onion, ginger, etc are sautéed in oil or ghee.
What is rava in American English? ›
Suji, Sooji and Rava are Hindi words for Semolina. Semolina is not only used as a battering ingredient, it is also used as the main ingredient in numerous foods, both sweet and savory.
'Rawa' in English is called 'semolina. ' It is nothing but granulated wheat. It is used for preparing many Indian dishes, both sweet and salty.
How to eat suji? ›
Suji or semolina can be used for breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. Due to semolina benefits, the flour is used in a variety of Indian dishes such as rava dosa, upma, dhokla, etc.
Is sooji rava healthy? ›
Semolina is excellent for hearts as well. Sooji contain an chemical selenium which can protect the heart from infections. Semolina can also keep the heart in good shape. It improves cardiovascular health and prevents heart attacks, heart failures, etc.
Is upma rava and semolina same? ›
About Rava Upma
Rava is the South Indian word for 'semolina' so it is also known as Rava Upma.
Is suji healthier than atta? ›
Sooji is often referred to as a great weight loss food as it is light on stomach and is a coarser grain as compared to the regular atta we consume every day. It is both used in delicious calorie-laden preparations as well as healthy recipes.
Is rava refined or not? ›
'Rava' or coarse refined wheat flour is traditionally used for making 'shira' and 'upma', 'rava idli' and 'rava dosa'. 'Maida' or finely ground refined wheat flour is extensively used for making commercial bakery products like bread, pasta, biscuits, cakes, pastries, 'khari', toasts or rusks.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/sabudana-payesh-recipe-6745131-hero-01-4ca5bd9581924452a9d3e5f32b11a446.jpg "Sooji, or Rawa, Is Essential to Authentic Indian Dishes (1)")
