Upma

Upma served with Sugar and Peanut Chutney

I know that Upma is not a new recipe to most. It’s a staple breakfast in almost every south Indian household. Still, I want to share my version of making upma that is easy and less time consuming.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Semolina
• 1 small Onion
• 1 Tomato
• 3 or 4 green Chilies
• A small piece of Ginger
• 4 cups Water
• Salt to taste

For Seasoning:

1. ½ tsp Mustard Seeds
2. ¼ tsp Cumin Seeds
3. ½ tsp Bengal Gram (Chana Dal)
4. ½ tsp Black Gram (Urad Dal)
5. 2 broken dry Red chilies
6. Some Curry Leaves
7. Some broken Cashews
8. 2 tsp Oil (More oil can be added if desired, I reduced it to cut down fat!)

Method:

Chop onion, tomato, green chilies and ginger into fine pieces.

In a non-stick pan heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they splutter add cumin seeds along with Bengal gram, Black gram and cashews. Fry well until they turn golden brown in color. Then add the red chilies and curry leaves and stir well.

Later add the chopped veggies and sprinkle a little water on top and cover. Let the veggies cook on a medium flame for a sometime. Keep stirring now and then.

Meanwhile, pour 4 cups of water in a bowl and put to boil.

When the onions turn translucent, add semolina and fry well until semolina turns little brown in color. Keep stirring to avoid burning of semolina. To this add salt and stir well.

When the water gets boiled, pour it over the semolina mixture very carefully as it will be very hot. Stir well so that no lumps are formed. Cover and leave for sometime on a low flame.

After sometime, remove the cover and stir upma well and check if it is done and all the water is absorbed well. Then switch off the flame and let upma stand for a while.

Serve hot with Peanut Chutney or Ginger Chutney or any desirable chutney.

Upma goes well with Pesarattu or can be eaten alone too.

Upma served with Sugar and Peanut Chutney