Semolina (Sooji & Rava)

Semolina is the gritty, pale yellow meal milled from the heart of durum wheat. Sooji, suji and rava are all names for it, and bombay rava is the fine white kind common in South India. It is used for upma, kesari bath, sooji halwa and sheera, rava idli, rava dosa, rava ladoo, semolina cake and the crisp coating on fried fish, and Sri Lankan love cake depends on it.

Fine semolina gives smooth halwa, soft cakes and a delicate crust; coarse semolina gives separate grains in upma and a lacy rava dosa; extra coarse and grits suit hearty upma and porridge. Roasted sooji is pre toasted and ready for upma. Idli rava is not wheat at all but coarsely ground parboiled rice for quick idlis, and wheat rava, or samba rava, is cracked wheat. Fudco packs semolina in several grinds.

Dry roast semolina, or roast it in ghee, over low heat for six to eight minutes until fragrant before adding liquid; this stops upma turning gluey. For halwa, add hot milk or water, never cold. For a quicker side dish, try couscous, and for cracked whole grain see broken wheat. The full shelf is under semolina and couscous.