Cooking with Shail

Hey guys!! How is everyone coping with the lockdown. During these tough times it is very difficult to cope up with the food demands of the family. Specially since the availability of all the food products is scarce and hence finding easy recipes to cook is necessary. Upma is one such easy recipe which can be made either for breakfast or dinner. There are very few ingredients required to make this recipe and is very filling. Upma is basically a south Indian recipe and you can have it with coconut chutney which is the best combination or just have it plain. You can add vegetables of your choice in this Upma. So lets get cooking…

Ingredients:

Rava/Sooji/Semolina – 1 Cup

Capsicum (finely chopped) – 1 small

Onion (finely chopped) – 1 small

Tomato (finely chopped) – 1 small

Carrot (finely chopped) – 1/4 cup

Coriander Leaves (finely chopped) – 1/4 cup

Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp

Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp

Curry leaves – a few

Green Chilly (finely chopped) – 1 chilly

Urad Dal (white) – 1 tsp

Peanuts – 1 tbsp

Sugar – 1 tsp

Lemon Juice – 1 tbsp

Water – 3 cups

Oil – 1 tbsp

Salt as per taste

Method:

1) In a wok take the oil. Let it become warm then add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Now add the cumin seeds, urad dal, curry leaves and green chilly. Then add the peanuts and let it roast a bit.

2) Now add the capsicum and cook till it becomes bit soft then add the onion and cook till it turns translucent. Then add the tomato and carrots and cover and cook till they become soft.

3) Now add the rava and roast for 5 – 8 minutes till it gives out an aroma. Do not let it become brown. Roast on low flame.

4) Meanwhile heat the water till it becomes lukewarm or bit hot. Do not boil it.

5) Once the rava is roasted add the lukewarm/hot water to it and stir it till no lumps. Add the salt, sugar and lemon juice to this and stir it constantly. Turn the flame to medium. Let it absorb the water. The rava will start to leave sides. The consistency will be medium thick. Do not make it completely dry or else it will be lumpy while eating. Finally add the coriander leaves and switch off the gas.

6) Serve hot with coconut chutney or just as it is.