Upma or Uppuma or Uppittu is a common South Indian and breakfast dish, cooked with dry roasted rava( semolina), vermicelli, rice rava or fails. Various seasonings and/or vegetables are often added during the cooking, depending on individual preferences.
Upma is a healthy and wholesome dish for breakfast. It can be served as snack or for dinner too. There are many varieties of Upma.
I saw this recipe in a magazine. It had a very interesting twist to the regular Upma. In that recipe, semolina was used. But I have used polenta ( corn rava), just a small variation from my side:)
Ingredients
Polenta ( corn rava)- 1 cup
Chopped onions- 1/2 cup
Chopped tomatoes- 1/2 cup
Chopped carrots- 1/2 cup
Chopped capsicum- 1/2 cup
Oil- 1 tbsp
Ghee- 1 tsp
Cashew nuts- 1 tbsp
Chopped coriander leaves- 1 tbsp
Mustard- 1 tsp
Split urad dal- 1 tsp
Chana dal- 1 tsp
Masala for grinding
Coriander powder- 1 tsp
Red chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4th tsp
Chopped ginger- 1/2 tsp
Chopped garlic- 1 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves- 1 tbsp
Grated coconut- 1/4th cup
Lemon juice- 1 tsp
Method
Dry roast the polenta for few mins till it you get a good aroma.
Grind the all ingredients mentions for the masala to a coarse paste.
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard. Once it starts spluttering, add split urad and chana dal. Sauté for few seconds and then add chopped onions. Sauté till it turns pale and then add chopped carrots and capsicum. Sauté again for few mins and add tomatoes.
Cook till for few more mins.
Now add the ground masala paste, salt to taste and mix well.
Sauté for few mins and then add 2 cups of water. When the water starts boiling, add the roasted polento. Mix well. Check for the seasonings. Reduce the flame, close the pan with a lid and Cook till the polento becomes soft and dry.
Roast the cashew nuts in a tsp of ghee and add it to the Upma.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve the Upma hot with raita or plain yogurt:)
