Semolina

Known all over the United States as the familiar Cream of Wheat, rava, or suji in Hindi, hardly needs an introduction. Rava is made from hard durum wheat, which is also commonly used in making pasta. Modern milling techniques have supplanted the ancient Indian method of dampening grain for some hours before grinding, then sifting the solids twice. In Parsi cooking, rava gives its name to one of the two required auspicious-day sweets. Look for it at Indian groceries, where it comes either fine or coarse (buy the fine), or get it off the supermarket shelf. Durum flour, even finer than semolina, isn’t part of the Indian kitchen, but it’s perfect for making the Giant Cookie.