Arisi Upma

 Arisi upma a very easy and healthy dish. I have great memories of having Arisi Upma and Vella thool in Ramanasramam, the taste which no one could recreate, may be because it is a prasadam, it tasted so different and divine. Any ways it is a very filling dish that can be served for breakfast or dinner. My grandma used to make it in Vengala Panai and you get a settled crust at the bottom (Adi pidithal) and we used to wait for her to share it amongst us all. Mom used hindaliya chatti for this and I use non stick. But now as I have decided reduce or not to use non stick as much as possible, I have purchased a cast iron kadai and I am sure the taste is definitely going to be too good. 

I make Arisi Upma normally using a mixture of Raw rice, boiled rice, thuvar dal and channa dal. Many people make it just by using thuvar dal along with raw rice. Some also use moong dal too. Let me share my recipe. Actually as I make the base powder for it ready and use it to make thavalai adai, upma kozhukattai also after making arisi upma. Though the consistency of upma for these two dishes vary from the standard upma still the making is same. Will share the base powder quantity soon so that it can be stored and used whenever needed. 

Ingredients:
Raw rice - 3/4th cup
Boiled rice - 3/4 th cup
Thuvar dal - 1/4 cup
Channa dal - 1/4 cup
Black pepper -1/2 tsp
Red Chilly - 4 nos
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1/4 cup
Channa Dal - 2 tbsp
Hing - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Water - 3 cups

Method:
Dry roast the raw rice, boiled rice, thuvar dal and channa dal a little. Grind all together to a coarse powder along with pepper and 3 red chillies. 
In a hard bottom pan add oil and when hot add mustard seeds, red chilly and when mustard splutters add channa dal, hing and curry leaves and saute well. Add water and salt when water starts boiling add the ground powder and mix well. Ensure it doesnot form any lumps. When it comes to a porridge consistency cover the pan and cook in a slow flame. When the mixture hardens switch off the stove and fluff up. Add ghee and serve it with coconut chutney or tomato gothsu.