Upma

Upma is another breakfast item or snack,  that I make more often. It is made with semolina/sooji and you can add the vegies that you like to make it rich and healthy.

I like to have my upma with either sambar or banana. Hmm..banana..weird, right? But works for me :)

Sambar that I make for my upma is nothing like your regular sambar. It is very easy to make and I will share the recipe very soon.  This post is all about upma. So let’s stick to that.

So here goes the recipe my friends.

Ingredients:

Sooji/semolina – 1 cup

Carrot – 1 medium size

Green peas – ½ cup

Vegetable oil/ghee – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – ½ tsp

Curry leaves – a few

Onion – ¼ of a medium size onion

Ginger – 1 “ piece

Salt – as per taste

Cashew nuts – few

Coconut slices – few

Ok lets make it now. Ready?

Dry roast the sooji in low flame. This has to be in low flame so the sooji does not burn. Keep mixing it in between so it doesn’t burn. When the sooji changes color slightly and you get the aroma, it is ready. Switch off the flame, transfer to a plate  and let it cool.

 

Wash and chop the carrot into little pieces. (Nobody likes to have big chunks of carrot in their upma and also they cook fast if they are in tiny pieces). 

In a bowl, add the carrot and green peas and little water and microwave for 3 minutes. Drain the water and keep it separate. Save the water.

 

Grate the ginger and chop the onion and keep it separate.

In another pan, add the vegetable oil/ghee.

When the oil is  hot, add mustard seeds and allow to splutter. (cover the pan so the mustard seeds are not all over your stove)

Add the grated ginger and saute for 2 sec.  Now add curry leaves and chopped onion. Saute till the onion becomes transcluscent. (take a deep breath and enjoy the aroma)

Add the cocunut and cashewnuts. Hmm..yum..yum..

Now add the cooked carrot and green peas and saute for a few seconds.

 

Now add the water that we saved earlier and some more if needed. The vegies should be immersed in water. Add salt. Mix, cover and let it boil.

When it starts boiling,  add the roasted sooji and keep stirring with a wooden spoon to avoid any lumps. (at times like this, i wish i had more than two hands). 

Mix thoroughly. Cover and cook for 5 min in low flame.

Uncover and mix and if needed you can add little ghee.

 

Your wonderful, colorful and delicious Upma is ready to be served. Good job :)

Is your tea ready?