Upma

In India, upma is considered one of the best and healthiest ways to kickstart one’s day. This dish is ridiculously simple ideal for bachelors and bachelorettes, whose days are crammed with work and social life. Upma is generously flavoured with curry leaves. A squeeze of lemon provides much-needed acidity to the humble upma. When there’s absolutely nothing available in your kitchen, upma can be the ultimate rescue to satisfy sudden hunger pangs. This recipe of upma takes 5 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook and serves 2.

Health Benefits

Semolina is made of durum wheat, which has a high content of fibre, which prolongs digestion, thereby making a person feel full for many hours. Upma is a well-cooked dish, devoid of strong spices, and contains very little salt and oil. These factors make upma a preferred dish for health-conscious people.

Ingredients

Semolina: 1 cup

oil: 4 tbsp

water: 2 cups

curry leaves: 10

green chilies—slit: 1

red chilies (with crowns removed): 2

peas (optional): 1/8 cup

chopped carrots (optional): 1/8 cup

split black gram: ½ tsp

bengal gram: ½ tsp

chopped onion: ¼ cup

salt to taste

Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Juice of 2 lemons

A handful of cashew nuts

How To Make Upma

1. In a thick-bottomed pan, dry roast semolina over low-medium heat till brown and transfer to another vessel.
2. In the same pan, add oil and splutter mustard, curry leaves, green chillies (slit from between), red chillies, Bengal gram and split black gram.
3. Saute chopped onions till translucent and follow with peas chopped carrot, and salt.
4. Add roasted rava and stir till flavours of the spices and vegetables are incorporated.
5. Add water and stir swiftly to avoid lumps.
6. Turn off the heat once the water is absorbed completely, drizzle lemon juice, and stir to blend the juice evenly.

Upma is an extremely versatile dish. You can make many other varieties of upma, such as idli upma, aval (flat rice) upma, arisi (broken rice) upma, and (godhumai rava) broken wheat upma.

Trivia

• In Karnataka, upma is known also known as uppittu. Another version of uppittu, known as khara bath, is also popular in the state of Karnataka.
• Semolina paste is applied as a patch on one side of the mridangas (South Inndian drums) to provide bass.