Upma Recipe- a Spicy Semolina Snack with Vegetables , how to make Upma recipe – step by step

Indians don’t just love cooking and eating, they love feeding others. An invitation for tea does not mean just tea or coffee, but a snack as well, sometimes so large that you might not want to have your dinner.

A guest who comes to your home is special, he is to be revered, to be honoured. So we pamper our guests and feed them. The Indian way of showing our love and care.

Ravyacha upma is a very famous Maharashtrian recipe that is made quite quickly. I find it handy to have the semolina roasted and stacked away in my cupboards. It helps me rustle up a quick upma or even a Rawa idli.

Commonly, upma only has onions, but you know me.. I never let an opportunity to add veggies go by. So I have modified this recipe to add in some frozen vegetables that are always in my freezer.

Ingredients

• Semolina- Suji (rawa)- 1 cup
• Water- 21/2 cups + 1 cup (hot water)
• Sweet corn + peas - 3/4 cup
• Carrot- 3/4 cup
• Onion, finely chopped- 1/4 cup
• Ginger grated- 1/4 tsp
• Coriander chopped- 2 tsp
• Peas- 1/4 cup
• Lemon Juice- 1 tsp
• FOR THE TEMPERING:
• Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
• Red chilly, whole- 1-2
• Curry leaves (optional)- 6-7
• Asafoetida( Hing)- 1 pinch

Method

Chop the onions very fine, grate the carrots on the thick side of the grater. You could also chop them small, if you like, but I find the process too cumbersome, so grating suits me fine. I also like to microwave the peas and sweet corn, it just hastens the cooking process. I have used 3/4 cup of sweet corn and peas combine, you could use just peas if you like, I love the colour and the sweetness that the corn lends.

Get the spices for tempering on a plate.

Heat oil in a wok. When hot, throw in the curry leaves, mustard seeds and the chillies. The mustard seeds start spluttering almost immediately. Turn down the heat and immediately add in the asafoetida or hing powder. It is important to do all these activities in rapid succession as the mustard seeds tend to burn quickly, as does the asafoetida.

Throw in the onions, Fry for 1-2 minutes and then add in the vegetables. Add salt and fry for 2 minutes. Add in the grated ginger, if you like. I love the warmth that ginger lends.

Add 1 cup hot water, cover and cook for 5 minutes till the vegetables are soft.

While the vegetables are cooking, measure the semolina and pour onto a hot wok.

Roast it till light brown. Semolina tends to burn very quickly, so it is very important to stir constantly.

Meanwhile, the vegetables would’ve cooked and the water dried up. Check on it.

Add in the roasted semolina. Mix well.

Add in the remaining water-boiling hot. Now when my Mum taught me to make this, it was a completely different style. She used to keep the roasted semolina in a plate and use the large wok to boil the water, salt it and then pour the semolina into the wok full of boiling water. I do the exact opposite, basically because I use my favourite electric kettle to do the job of boiling water for me, and also, because I dread that the boiling water will come splashing out when the semolina is poured in. Of course, it doesn’t, that’ s just my overactive imaginations, but you gotta be careful while coking, always!

Pour in the water, it does look watery and quite inedible, but keep n stirring. In a couple of minutes, and you will be surprised at how fast, the water just disappears.  The semolina fluffs up. It is a good idea to quickly put the lid on and let the semolina soak in the steam for a few minutes, with the gas turned off. It makes it incredibly softer.

Garnish with coriander and serve. Many people like adding some lemon juice on op while serving. I love eating it with yoghurt – kinda cools the tummy 🙂