They say, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper”. But my problem is I’m a late riser 🙁 I always give excuses to myself to snatch a nap of few more mins. And when I realize that it has gone far away from being ‘just late’, I start my ‘road rush’ 😉 as the result I turn my breakfast into pauper’s dinner.
But it was a good shinny sunny Saturday with no ‘To Do’ list, which actually made me very happy. So I decided to have a breakfast like a king. After google-ing for a while I got a handful names of breakfast items from different zones. But finally I picked a South Indian palate as I never tried anything in my kitchen from the South.
It is Upma. I know many of you (infact most of you) will now start yelling, “what the hell? What’s so special in Upma. Even a kid can make it.” Ummm may be a kid actually can, but I never did. So it was very important for me. And kind of nostalgic too as Chennai and South Indian food was a part of my childhood. Though I don’t remember having upma there, I had no hesitations for my choice.
Mostly semolina is used to make Upma. But in different parts of South India different ingredients are used for it. Rice, wheat, vermicelli are the other popular variations of it. But the other very useful ingredients are bread and idli. (I’m gonna try the Bread Upma soon.)
But for today here is my recipe of Vegetable Rawa Upma.
Core ingredients:
Semolina/ rava/ suji: 2 cups
Onion: 2, medium
Carrot: 1, large
Capsicum: 1, large
Tomato: 1, large (fully ripe)
Green peas: ½ cup
Fresh green chillies: handful
Warm water: 1 cup
Red chilli powder: 1 tsp (optional)
Salt to taste
Sugar: 1 tsp
Oil: 1-2 tsp
Ingredients for tempering:
Dry red chillies: 3-4
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Yellow mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds: 1 tsp
Asafetida/ Hing: 1 pinch
Sugar: 1 pinch
Curry leaves: 4-5 ( I dint use any)
Preparation:
Take a nonstick pan. set it on medium flame. When the pan is moderately hot, add semolina.
Dry roast semolina on medium-low flame. Stir continuously to avoid burning. (See Tips)
Once semolina changes color to golden, turn off the flame and keep stirring. Within no time it will change its color to pale brown.
This is the time to remove the semolina from pan and keep it aside for later use.
Take a large wok in which all veggies and semolina will fit.
Heat 1-2 tsp of oil in it.
When it is hot enough add all the ingredients under ‘Ingredients for tempering’. Let spices sputter.
Now add onion and green chillies. Fry them on high flame until onions are translucent.
Add carrot with a pinch of salt until carrot is half done.
Add capsicum and keep frying on high flame until raw smell of it is gone.
When veggies are almost done add green peas and sauté for few seconds.
Now add dry roasted semolina carefully little by little otherwise the wok will overflow. (See Tips)
Add tomato and keep mixing it together. (See Tips)
When everything is mixed, add water little by little and keep mixing to avoid lumps. Add salt, sugar and red chilli powder. Adjust the seasoning.
Semolina will now become sticky. And everything will start sticking together. Adjust the moisture by heating few more mins.
If you prefer it dry and grainy, add little water. If you like sticky, lumpy add a bit more water to form lumps.
And your yummy tasty Vegetable Rawa Upma is ready for your feast.
Traditionally upma is served with Sambar and Coconut Chatni. But as I served it as breakfast, tomato Sauce and chilli sauce just worked as a life saver for me 😉
Tips:
1. Semolina gets heated very quickly. So be careful. It also has a tendency to burn easily. So keep stirring.
2. The best technique is to pour semolina from one hand and keep mixing with other hand.
3. You can add tomato earlier or just before you add semolina.it will add a nice fried flavor to the upma.
Looks yum and a great breakfast… only thing i don't add hing, but i am sure it tastes yum
Priya
Cook like Priya
i tried both version n when i'm in mood to have spicy version i add hing.. try it sometimes for a change 🙂
beautifully presented 🙂
Thanks @Flavorsome Flavors 🙂