Chow Chow Bath

Chow Chow Bath, despite its name suggesting Chinese origins, is actually an Indian dish hailing from Karnataka in South India. It is a popular breakfast option in Bangalore (now Bengaluru) and is served in many eateries and tiffin houses. What sets it apart is its combination of three distinct components: Rava Bath or Khara Bath (savory), Kesari Bath (sweet), and coconut chutney. Stay tuned for a guide on how to prepare this delightful dish at home.

What is Chow Chow Bath

Chow Chow Bath is a classic breakfast dish from Karnataka that brings together two contrasting preparations: a savory Khara Bath (closely related to Upma), a sweet Kesari Bath, and a side of chunky coconut chutney.

Kesari Bath, the sweet component of this platter, is a South Indian semolina dessert similar to Suji Halwa from North India or the Sheera from Western India.

What sets Kesari Bath apart is its vibrant color – often from saffron or food-grade orange tint, and its rich garnishing with ghee-fried nuts and raisins, making it especially festive and indulgent.

Rava Bath is a savory Karnataka-style dish made with rava (sooji or semolina) and mixed vegetables, similar in concept to Tamil Nadu’s Rava Kichadi, though the texture and seasoning may vary.

In contrast, Kesari Bath is a sweet, saffron- or yellow-colored halwa made with rava, ghee, sugar, and nuts, and is commonly served alongside Rava Bath in the iconic Chow Chow Bath combination.

The mélange of flavors from all these dishes individually, makes the Chow Chow Bath a super hit for the palate.

With this recipe of mine, where I’ve demonstrated the procedure to make both these dishes, you’ll be able to try it at home without having to step out and flying to Karnataka. To make the chutney, this Coconut Chutney recipe is going to be handy.

Since the Chow Chow Bath is quite a wholesome, filling meal in itself, I usually prepare it not just for breakfasts, but as weekend brunches too. The dish is also quite appealing to eyes as well because it looks beautiful when presented in its original, authentic way.

About The Recipe

The combination of a sweet dish along with a savory dish accompanied with a coconut chutney is just too good. However, preparing a Chow Chow Bath from start to finish is quite a time-consuming thing as it has 3 main dishes in it. So, on days, when you have some time in hand, go for this preparation.

Two common ingredients in both the recipes in this Chow Chow Bath are sooji or rava (cream of wheat) and ghee. Do use the fine variety of rava and not the coarse one. Ghee can be added less or more as per your preferences.

I prepare a very simple coconut chutney for the Chow Chow Bath, which is mentioned in the recipe card and for a detailed version, I have already shared the link too earlier in this post. I generally do not temper the chutney. But if you wish, you can temper it.

There is no particular order in which you can cook these dishes to assemble in the Chow Chow Bath. You can cook the sweet kesari bath first and then the savory rava bath or vice versa.

If you have some help in cooking, you can cook both the dishes simultaneously in two pans or kadai. But if you are doing it alone, then better cook one dish first and then move to the other.

How to make Chow Chow Bath

Roasting rava

1. Heat a pan or kadai first. Add 1 cup rava or cream of wheat (fine variety).

2. Begin to roast the rava. Stir often while roasting the rava. The rava or sooji grains should become fragrant and start to look dry, separate and crisp. Don’t brown the rava.

3. Roasting takes about 5 to 6 minutes on low heat. Once the rava becomes fragrant and starts to look dry and crisp, switch off the heat, add the roasted rava on a plate and keep aside.

4. Take ½ cup of the roasted rava and keep aside. Half of the rava will be added in savory Khara Bath and the other half in sweet Kesari Bath.

Frying cashews

5. In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon ghee or oil.

6. Add 20 to 22 cashews.

7. Stirring often, on low to medium heat, fry till the cashews turn golden. Keep aside.

Making Khara Bath

8. Lower the heat and in the same pan, add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon chana dal and ½ teaspoon urad dal.

9. On low heat, sauté the dals and mustard seeds, till the dals turn golden. The mustard seeds will also crackle by then.

10. Next, add 3 tablespoons finely chopped onions.

11. On low heat, sauté for a minute.

12. Then, add 3 tablespoons finely chopped capsicum, 3 tablespoons finely chopped carrot, 3 tablespoons finely chopped tomatoes and 2 tablespoons green peas.

13. Mix very well and add 7 to 8 curry leaves.

14. Season with ½ teaspoon sugar and salt as required.

15. Then, add 1 teaspoon vangi bhaat masala. Mix very well.

16. Now, add 1.5 cups water. Mix very well.

17. Bring the water to boil on medium heat.

18. When the water comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and add the roasted rava in 2 to 3 batches.

19. As soon as you add first batch, stir very well. So that lumps are not formed.

20. This way add in batches. Stir very well after adding each batch.

21. Now, add the next batch and then stir again very well.

22. Finish off the roasted rava this way and mix very well.

23. Then, cover the pan with a lid and cook on low heat for 3 to 4 minutes.

24. Open the lid

25. Then, add 2 tablespoons ghee.

26. Also, add 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves.

27. Mix very well, so that the ghee is mixed evenly in the Khara Bath. Lastly, add 10 to 12 fried cashews. Mix again. Keep aside. You can also place this savory mixture in small to medium steel bowls or in small to medium tart moulds and let them become warm. Once warm, then unmold and serve with Kesari Bath.

Making Kesari Bath

28. In another thick bottomed pan or kadai, take 1.5 cups water. Add ⅓ cup sugar (60 grams). You can also add ½ cup sugar for a more sweet taste. Keep the pan on low heat and stir very well, so that the sugar dissolves.

29. Add ½ tablespoon raisins and a pinch of saffron strands. I have added raisins in the sugar solution and they do soften up while cooking.

If you want, you can even fry the raisins with cashews. Add 1 to 2 drops of natural food color extract, if using or else skip it. Mix very well. Here I have used an orange color natural extract.

30. Mix very well.

31. On low-medium heat, bring this sugar solution to a boil.

32. When it comes to a boil, lower the heat. Add the roasted rava in 2 to 3 batches. First add one batch

33. Then, quickly stir so that no lumps are formed.

34. Continue to add the remaining batches of rava this way and mix very well.

35. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons ghee.

36. Add ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder.

37. Mix very well, so that the ghee is distributed evenly in the Kesari Bath.

38. Cover the pan and on low heat or sim, let the mixture cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

39. The rava will absorb the water and get done. The ghee will also be absorbed and the mixture will also thicken. You should not see any tiny whitish or creamish specks on the rava. If you see, this means that the rava is still not cooked well.

40. Once the rava is cooked well, add the fried cashews and mix well.

41. Serve both Khara Bath and Kesari Bath together hot or warm, along with coconut chutney. You can also pour the Kesari Bath in small to medium steel bowls or in small to medium tart moulds and let them become warm. Once warm, then unmold and serve.

Expert Tips

1. You can skip using the vangi bath masala powder, if you don’t have it. Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon red chili powder instead.
2. Even if using the vangi bath masala powder, for a spicier taste, you can add the red chili powder. Or increase the quantity of vangi bath masala powder to 2 teaspoons.
3. In the Khara Bath, you can also add 2 tablespoons of finely chopped French beans with the rest of the vegetables.
4. For the sweet kesari bath, you can also fry the raisins along with the cashews instead of adding them in the sugar solution.
5. You can make the kesari bath without adding the natural food color extract as well.
6. While cooking the rava in the ghee for the sweet kesari, there should not be any tiny creamish or whitish specks in the rava. If there are, it means the rava is still not cooked well.

Chow Chow Bath recipe from the archives was first published in January 2016.