Traditionally Bhaat refers to a spiced rice dish – the exact spices and preparation varies in different parts of India. I love preparing different kinds of “Bhaat”. Just by playing around with the veggies and the spices you end up with a whole new dish. I also swap the rice out for different grains! So I end up with a variety of “Bhaats” that I never get bored of 🙂
Cracked Wheat or Daliya is a great substitute for white rice. Being a whole grain it is much more nutritious and keeps you full longer. It also doesn’t spike blood sugar levels. While a lot of people are aware about Daliya, I haven’t seen many people use it for its nutritional value. Also, many times Daliya is used just in upma or pulav. I just wanted to share this recipe so that you cant get creative in your kitchens! Cracked Wheat can be pretty much used in any dish where we use rice. It has a great texture, cooks really quickly and adds a wonderful flavor to any dish.
In this bhaat recipe, I have combined raw banana and capsicum along with some readily available spices at home. The raw banana blends absolutely perfectly with the cracked wheat! I love adding capsicum to rice-based dishes because it adds so much flavor and crunch. I would say overall this recipe is a real winner – healthy yet tasty 😀
Raw Banana (Plantain) Spicy Cracked Wheat 'Bhaat'
- 2 large raw bananas
- 2 large capsicums
- 1 cup cracked wheat/daliya
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
- 1/4 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 3/4 tsp red chilli powder
- salt to taste
Method
- Peel and chop the raw banana into bite-sized pieces. Chop the capsicums also coarsely.
- In a large pan, heat the oil. Add the cumin and fennel seeds and saute for a few seconds. Then add the chopped capsicum and ground spices. Sprinkle a little water and saute well for a few seconds.
- Then add the cracked wheat to the pan. Mix everything well and roast the wheat for 2-3 minutes. Roasting the wheat helps it cook quickly.
- Now add 3 cups water, salt to taste and chopped plantains to the pan. Let the mixture come to a boil on medium high heat. Then close a lid and tlet the mixture simmer for 20-25 minutes.
- Occasionally open the lid and give everything a good mix. Add more water as required.
- Once the wheats gets soft, it is ready to be served. Adjust salt and spices as required and mix well. Serve hot with a cool yogurt dip on the side.
Interesting recipe!