Upma

Credit: Indian Vegan Cookbook

Ingredients

• 1 cup semolina (rawa)
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp black gram dal (urad dal
• 1 tsp Bengal gram (chana dal)
• 2 onions (optional)
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• 4-6 green chillies, slit lengthwise and then cut into two or three pieces
• 1 – 2 sprigs of curry leaves
• ⅛ tsp asafoetida
• 3 cups hot water
• ½ cup of fresh coriander leaves chopped
• ¼ of a coconut grated
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Method

1. Dry roast the semolina in a thick bottom steel pot or in an iron kadhai or Indian wok on low to medium heat till it just begins to change colour.
2. Keep this aside in a bowl until it is ready to use.
3. Heat the same kadhai add oil, mustard seeds, black gram, bengal gram, chillies, curry leaves, asafoetida and onions and sauté them for 5 minutes.
4. Add a little water if necessary, and cook them on a low flame till they are translucent and soft and begin to caramelise.
5. Add the hot water, semolina and salt to the kadhai.
6. Stir and cook covered over low heat till all the water is absorbed and the semolina is cooked. Turn off the heat.
7. Add the lemon juice and grated coconut and mix it well.
8. Cover the pot and let it rest for a couple of minutes.
9. Add the coriander leaves leaving some for garnishing, and mix well.
10. Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves.