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. 

Samba Rawa Vegetable Upma

Ingredients:

Roasted Samba rawa - 1 cup 

Mixed vegetables - 

Potato,beans,carrots and peas. 

ginger- few cut finely 

green chillis-2(small) 

red chillies-2 

Onions- 1 big 

Tomatoes-2 medium 

curry leaves-few sprigs 

coriander -for grarnishing 

salt- as req. 

water-2 to 2 1/2 cups 

For seasoning- mustard, urad dal and chana dal( kadala parupu) 

Method: 

In a pan add little oil and when slightly hot, add mustard,then urad dhal, chana dhal and chilies (to suit to your taste) add ginger and curry leaves. Then add onions and saute . when onions turn translusent add tomatoes. Then add 2 cups of water and salt . when water begins to boil. add steamed vegetables( can be done in microwave or cook first keep aside) add turmeric.and mix well. simmer for a few minutes till the water gets fully absorbed . add a teaspoon ghee and mix well. 

Add coriander for garnishing. This is a very nutritious receipe and suits well for the diabetics.

Recipe for Upma (Semolina Upma)

Upma is one recipe, which is made very fast and very easily. Whenever a fast tiffin for the evening time had to be made, I prefer making this. As far as I know many of the south Indian households add Semolina in their monthly budget.


Ingredients:
Semolina/Sooji/Rawa - 1 cup
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Green Chilly - 2 nos
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Broken Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Asafodeita - 2 pinches
Salt to taste
Curry Leaves - few
Coriander Leaves - chopped 1/4 cup
Water - 2 cups


Method:
Dry roast rawa. Let it cool. In the same pan add 1 tbsp of ghee and roast the rawa again till it is coated well with ghee. Remove from the pan and spread it on a plate.


Add oil and mustard seeds to the hot pan, when the mustard seeds splutters add the urad dal, green chillies, hing, curry leaves and finely chopped ginger. Add water and salt bring it to a boil. When the water boils add the roasted rawa slowly by constantly stirring so that no lumps are formed. Cover the pan and lower the flame and cook till the rawa becomes soft and non sticky. 


Add the remaining 1 tbsp of ghee and remove from fire. Decorate it with finely chopped coriander leaves.


Variations:
Chop 2 medium sized Onions finely and add it while seasoning and when it turns glossy add the water.


Dice vegetables like carrot, beans, potatoes and along with peas and cauliflower florets cook it till they are soft (say half cooked) and add it after the seasoning is done and before the water is added (if you are adding vegetables, instead of 2 cups of water add 3 cups of water).