Vegetable Upma

Hello friends,

     Today I am here to share with you the process of making "Vegetable Upma". Before that would like to share the story of the dish.  Upma (uppidi pindi in Telegu) was originally a widows' dinner. Widows' were banned from eating salt and spice. They were also not supposed to eat a full course rice meal for dinner. So they soak rice in water and dry it to make semolina out of it. Then they steam it and eat it.  The dish was originally make with very few available ingredients,since widows' and poor people were not able to afford vegetables. The typical Tamilian Upma has just onions,green chilies and few curry leaves apart from the semolina.  

 As the time passed by, it became an evening tiffin for those who returned from office. This is now very common food in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh,Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtrian, Oria and Sri Lanka.

Ingredients:-

1. Semolina- 1-1/2cup.

2. Ghee(clarified butter)- 2-1/2tbsp-2tsp

3. Mustard seeds- 1tsp.

4. Cumin seeds- 1tsp.

5. Bengal Gram- 2tsp.

6. Urad dal- 1-1/2tsp.

7. Peanuts-12nos.

8. Cashew nuts- 10(splited).

9. Onion- 2small(chopped).

10. Green chilies-3(slit).

11. Ginger- 1/2(finely chopped).

12. Asafoetida- A pinch.

13. Curry leaves- 2springs.

14. Salt-To taste.

15. Sugar-2 tsp.

16. Green peas- 1/2cup.

17. Carrots-1/2cup(finely chopped).

18. French beans- 3(finely chopped).

Preperation Method:-

Step 1- First place a pan on medium low flame. Add semolina to the pan and dry roast until crunchy. Keep stirring for even roasting. Don't brown the semolina then the flavour of upma will be changed. Transfer into a bowl. Set aside to cool.

Step 2- Now pour 2-1/2 tbsp of ghee to the same hot pan. Add mustard seeds, Cumin seeds,urad dal, Bengal Gram, peanuts, splited cashews. Fry until golden and arometic.

Step 3- Next add Asafoetida,slit green chilies, chopped ginger, Curry leaves. Saute for a minute,then add chopped onion and fry till transparent.

Step 4- Now add all the vegetables mentioned above. Chopped carrots,green peas, chopped french beans. Stir and cook covered until slightly tender.

Step 5- Once vegetables will became slightly tender, then add salt, sugar.(remember upma has to be slightly salty, so adjust salt and sugar according to your taste).

Step 6- Pour water into the pan and mix all ingredients well. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Set the flame to medium.

Step 7- Now with your one hand pour semolina in a slow stream to the boiling water. While stir the semolina in the water with your other hand. Incorporate the entire semolina into the boiling water.

Step 8- Next reduce the flame to low and stir everything once to check any lumps. Break up if any.

Step 9- Cover and cook on low flame until the water is absorbed completely. It will take hardly 3-4 minutes.

Step 10- Open the lid and stir once. Add 2 tsp of ghee and give a quick stir. Switch off the flame and cover the pan again. It will help the upma became fluffy. Rest the upma for 5 minutes.

Step 11- Now it's ready to serve.