Jhal shuji – Vegetable semolina snack

A Bengali version of your standard upma would be ‘jhal shuji’ or ‘nonta shuji’ which roughly translates to savory semolina. It’s a delicious and filling semolina snack which leaves you wanting for more. There is also a sweet version of this dish but being a savory person myself, I prefer the jhal shuji more. When made right, the semolina should look soft and fluffy and not lumpy. Traditionally it’s made in ghee (but I used a combination of ghee and vegetable oil) and is loaded with potatoes, onions, carrots, cashews and raisins. One secret ingredient going in the dish is the sprig of curry leaves. They add a lovely fragrance and flavor that elevates the jhal shuji to the next level. Although, it’s a savory snack, the raisins add the perfect level of sweetness to it which ultimately balances the spices and salt.

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What is semolina?

This is a question I’ve received many a times from my non-Indian friends and colleagues when I mentioned the ingredient. I tell them it’s what’s in couscous! Semolina is basically a made from durum wheat whereas couscous is a pasta made of semolina and wheat flour. Semolina is made by grinding the nourishing parts of the durum wheat during its milling process. Semolina is so versatile because you can flavor it with whatever you add in the dish and make it sweet or savory. A widely popular dessert in India, ‘Suji halwa’ or its German counterpart ‘Griessbrei’ has semolina as the key ingredient. Semolina is eaten across Europe, north and central Africa in many sweet and savory recipes.

Here is an in depth article about semolina :

https://www.bobsredmill.com/blog/baking-101/what-is-semolina/

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Diving into making jhal shuji, here is a step by recipe!

Yield	2 servings
Prep time	0 h	15 mins
Cook time	0 h	20 mins
Total time	0 h	35 mins

Ingredients

Main ingredients :

1. 2 cups of fine semolina
2. 1 potato chopped in cubes
3. 1 carrot chopped
4. half an onion chopped in slices
5. 1 sprig of curry leaves
6. 2 finely chopped green chilis
7. 1 cup of water
8. 1 tbsp vegetable oil
9. 1 tsp ghee (clarified butter)
10. 1 tsp garam masala
11. 2 tbsp cashews (broken in half)
12. 2 tbsp washed and dried raisins

Spices :

1. 2 dried red chilis
2. half a stick of cinnamon
3. 2 cardamoms
4. 1 tsp ginger (grated)
5. 1 bay leaf
6. 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
7. 1/4 tsp turmeric

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Directions

Dry roast the semolina in a pan under medium heat for 5-6 minutes. The color will change slightly from pale yellow to darker yellow / beige but don’t go as far as browning it. Dry roasting helps the dish not get clumpy in the end when you add water.

Temper 1 tbsp vegetable oil and 1 tsp ghee with the whole spices namely cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf, dried red chilis, 4-5 curry leaves and cumin seeds and toss for 1-2 minutes until the cumin seeds start sputtering.

Add the ginger and turmeric followed by the chopped vegetables – potatoes, onions and carrots and fry until soft and well cooked. At this point, you can also throw in the cashews and raisins. You can also add other vegetables of your choice. Cauliflower goes well in the dish or even green beans.

The next step is to add the dry roasted semolina and mix very well for 2-3 minutes until it’s well combined with the vegetables. Add half a cup of water and mix again, check the consistency and add more water if required. The end product should be light and fluffy with the grains of semolina individually apart like wet sand. Break clumps if they form. Cook covered for a few more minutes until it looks ready. Once the vegetables are cooked, the semolina cooks really fast so do keep an eye on it.

Sprinkle a tea spoon of garam masala when you’re ready to take the shuji off the heat. Serve hot and garnish with fresh curry leaves and chopped green chili if you like it spicy like me!

If you happen to try out the recipe or have any twists of your own to it, please let me know in the comments. Would appreciate your feedback!