Upma

I am posting this recipe on my younger daughter's request. When she lived at home, she never really liked Upma. I usually made it for a weekend brunch and pretty much every time she used to be in tears.She did manage to eat some,very unhappily. I cannot really recall what on Earth made me continue to keep making it inspire of her dislike.

During our recent visit to see her, I was surprised by her request to make Upma for her. I must say,  I had to coax my husband and hop into three shops in pursuit of finding the right semolina. I prefer to use the medium one. I bought few onions. To my delight I found coriander and green chillies. I found it hilarious that the shopkeeper tried to weigh 4 chillies !

It was quite interesting to watch her relish every morsel of it. And I am so happy that she asked me to post the recipe.

Don't worry about all the optional ingredients.Just go ahead and make it with what you have in your kitchen . It will turn out delicious anyways.

• 1 cup semolina/sooji/rava (fine or medium variety) [If you want to,you can add part oatmeal to the recipe,for a healthier option]
• 1 medium sized onion, chopped finely
• 1 green chilly, sliced lengthwise (Optional)
• 1 tsp chana dal/split and skinned bengal gram (Optional)
• 1 tsp urad dal/split and skinned black gram (Optional)
• ½ inch ginger grated or chopped finely (Optional)
• 1 medium chopped tomato (Optional)
• 2.5 cups boiling water (more if needed)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds/rai
• 1 sprig of curry leaves/kadi patta (Optional)
• 10 to 12 cashewnuts/kaju or Peanuts ( Optional)
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves (Optional)
• 2 tbsp oil or ghee
• salt as required
• A pinch of asafoetida (Hing)
• 1 tsp lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. prep up the ingredients for the upma - finely chop 1 medium sized onion, 1 to 2 green chillies and ½ inch ginger and some coriander leaves. also take the 8 to 10 curry leaves, 10 to 12 cashews or peanuts , 1 tsp chana dal and 1 tsp urad dal.
2. in a pan, heat 2 tbsp ghee or oil.
3. add 1 tsp mustard seeds.
4. when you hear the crackling sound of mustard seeds, it means they are getting fried.
5. now add the 1 tsp chana dal and 1 tsp urad dal.
6. fry till they begin to brown a bit
7. immediately then add cashews and begin to fry. by the time, the cashews get golden the dals would also get golden.
8. now add hing and the finely chopped onions. saute the onions till they become translucent.
9. then add the chopped green chilly, ginger, curry leaves. saute for a minute.
10. add rava,mix in and let it roast for few minutes taking care not to let it brown.
11. then add 2.5 cups water to this mixture. add salt as required.
12. on a medium to high flame, heat the water and let it come to a to a rolling boiling.
13. when the water comes to a full boil, lower the flame to its lowest.
14. the rava grains absorb water and thus swell and get cooked.
15. cover and allow the rava upma to steam for 2 minutes on the low flame.
16. then swtich off the flame. here the rava is cooked and the upma is ready.
17. lastly add about 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves and the lemon juice . stir well.
18. serve upma with coconut chutney or lime pickle. (If you have) or yoghurt.