Broken Wheat/Godhumai Rava Upma Kozhakattai - World Diabetes Day

Today is World Diabetes Day. It is a global awareness campaign of Diabetes mellitus and is held on November 14^th every year. Over 30 million people in India have been diagnosed with Diabetes.

Diabetes can be kept under control with a healthy diet and good exercise. Including lot of fresh vegetables and whole grains helps to keep a check on the disease. Reduce the intake of white rice and substitute with whole grains like Wheat, Ragi, Jowar, Bajra, Oats, Barley.

My father and grandfather were diabetics and I have always seen them eat broken wheat rice instead of white rice. Broken wheat is a whole grain and is a super food for diabetes. It can be incorporated in our daily meals with ease. You can substitute your daily intake of white rice with this broken wheat.

It is easy to make delicious yet healthy food by choosing to cook with some healthy alternates. So, Exercise daily, Eat Healthy and Stay Fit.

Makes 18 Kozhakattais

What you’ll need

1. Broken Wheat/Bulgur – 2 cup (see notes)
2. Channa Dal/Kadalai Paruppu – ¼ cup
3. Dried Red Chilly – 1 or 2
4. Fresh Scraped Coconut – ¼ cup (optional)
5. Salt to taste
6. Water – 4 cup

For tempering

1. Coconut oil or Any refined oil – 1 tbsp
2. Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp
3. Urad Dal – 1 tsp
4. Channa Dal – 1 tsp
5. Asafoetida – a generous pinch
6. Curry Leaves – few

Method

1. Soak the channa dal and red chillies in water for half an hour.
2. Grind into a paste by adding little water.
3. Dry roast the broken wheat till a nice aroma comes. Transfer to a plate.
4. In the same kadai, add oil, temper with mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal, fry till the dals turn golden.
5. Add the asafoetida and the curry leaves.
6. Next add 4 cups of water, add the ground paste, coconut and salt to taste.
7. Bring to boil.
8. Once the water starts boiling add the broken wheat and mix well.
9. Stir till all the moisture evaporates and the whole this comes together as a mass.
10. Remove from heat.
11. Form balls with it when you can handle the dough. Let it not cool too much.
12. Steam the balls in a steamer or idly stand for 8 to 10 minutes.
13. Cool slightly.

Serve warm with sambar or chutney.

Notes:

1. I have used Bulgur wheat/Cracked wheat, which is slightly smaller than the regular broken wheat and cooks faster too. If you are using regular broken wheat, increase quantity of water to 3 cups for 1 cup of wheat.
2. Do not let the mixture cool too much then you may find it difficult to make balls.

Few more healthy recipes

1. Oats Dosa
2. Ragi Dosa
3. Barley Adai
4. Broken Wheat Rava Upma
5. Broken Wheat Rava Pongal