Basic Upma

During this Ganpati season, everyday I made some simple basic dishes in bulk. So I am posting recipes of these recipes. In order to make it more tasty. I have used a bit more oil to avoid stickyness of semolina, but you may reduce the quantity of oil. It does not affect the taste, but upma may become a bit sticky.

Further, our traditional maharashtrian upma (known as Saanza) is garnished with grated coconut and corriander, but here I have given it a Gujrathi touch by using Sev.

Ingredients :

1 cup semolina (rava)
2¼ cups water
1 finely chopped large onion
1 finely chopped medium sized tomato
1/2 cup blanched carrots and green peas
3-4 tbspns cashews
3-4 tbspns oil
1 tspn ghee
1/2 tspn cumin seeds (Jeera)
1/4 tspn mustard seeds
A pinch of asafoetida powder
5-6 curry leaves
1-2 finely chopped green chillies (As per the taste)
1-2 tspns sugar
3-4 tbspns chopped corriander
Salt to taste

For Garnishing :
Finely chopped corriander
Fine Sev (Bhelpuri sev)


Preparation :

Dry-roast semolina on medium heat till it starts changing the colour
(You feel the lightness in weight at the time of stirring when it is done)
Mix 1 teaspoon of ghee with the semolina
Stir it for a minute
Switch off the same and keep it aside

Simultaneously keep water for boiling

Heat oil in a pan
Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida powder, curry leaves and green chilles
Then add chopped onions
Cook onions till it changes it colour
Then add cashews and saute it for a minute
Subsequently add blanched vegetables and tomatoes
Again saute it for 2-3 minutes
Add salt to the mixture
Lastly add roasted semolina and mix well
Pour boiling water over the mixture
Cover the pan with lid and let it cook for 3-4 minutes
After cooking Sprinkle sugar over the upma
Also add chopped corriander in the upma
Mix it and again close the lid
Turn off the flame and let it remain covered for 15-20 minutes

At the time of serving
Transfer it into a serving plate
Garnish it with chopped corriander and sev


Notes :
You may substitute sev with fresh grated coconut
Urad dal may also be added at the time of tempering

Stepwise Pictures :