Sanja (सांजा).

SANJA (सांजा )
There are times when we feel a little under the weather.It's hard to eat when you're sick, but we know it's best to force something down. Some might feel relieved with a bowl of hot soup while some might want to eat Khichdi. Of course it not advisable to call it a night with empty stomach. Check out this throat soothing , easy to digest recipe that my Mum gave me when i was sick.

Ingredients : (Serves 1)
1/2 Cup Semolina (Sooji) , 1 tbspn oil , 1 tspn Mustard seeds (राई) ,
2 pinch asafoetida , 5-7 curry leaves , 1/4th tspn turmeric , Salt to taste ,
1/4th tspn sugar , 1/2 tspn lemon juice , 1।5 cup Hot water ,

2 tbspn finely chopped onion , 1/4 tspn red chilly powder ,

cilantro to garnish , 1/2 tspn ghee.

Procedure :
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds (राई). Let it splutter , then add asafoetida + turmeric + curry leaves followed by semolina. Roast for about 7-10 minutes on medium high heat. Add red chilly powder + sugar + salt + onion . Add hot preferably boiling water and quickly stir to avoid formation of lumps. Reduce heat to low and cover the pan for 2-3 minutes. This will help retain the steam within the pan. Then uncover the pan and add lemon juice and cilantro. Serve it hot in a bowl and drop a dollop of desi ghee on top.

The asafoetida , curry leaves , turmeric have medicinal properties that sooth the throat . The ghee on top adds to the flavor also helps to mellow down the strong flavor of asafoetida.
You will enjoy this dish even when you are hail and hearty. You may want to reduce the amount of water in equal proportion to the Sooji then. That means if you use 1 cup sooji use 1 cup water.