Mixed Vegetable Upma ( Uppumaavu )

Upma is a dish ubiquitous in South India. It?s advantages are : - easy /quick to make, easy to digest and it can be made of minimum ingredients. A variety of Upma dishes can be made - right from the plain variety to the one with vegetables ( I have seen Upma with Tomatoes, green peas, carrots and all vegetables just like fried rice). It can be had either as plain, with a spicy side dish ( with potato curry - Kukka humman in Konkani cuisine, or with spicy savories like Mixture etc) or if one like sweet Upma, sprinkle a spoon full of sugar over it and here goes the sweet variety.

Featured here is a Mixed Vegetable Upma which I made for today?s breakfast made from rawa ( sooji ). This can also be made from broken whole wheat / dalia - which is more healthier.

1 cup dry roasted rawa ( sooji )
1 3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon ghee / sunflower oil / olive oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin ( jeera ) seeds
1/2 teaspoon urad dal
2 green chillies , slit lengthwise
1 - inch piece ginger , chopped finely
1 spring dark green curry leaves
1 onion, finely chopped

1 / 4 cup ( 50 g ) finely chopped carrots and French beans
3/4 teaspoon salt ( or to taste )
1/4 cup grated coconut for garnishing ( optional )

Heat oil in a kadai / frying pan . Add mustard seeds. When they start splutter add jeera ( cumin ) seeds and urad dal. Saute for 2- 3 minutes.

Add slit green chillies, ginger and curry leaves. Shallow fry for 3 - 4 minutes or till it fragrant.

Add chopped onions and fry on a low heat till golden brown in color.

Add finely chopped carrots and French beans. Saute for 5- 8 minutes .

Add water and salt. Cover with a lid and boil water on a medium heat.

When the water starts boiling , remove the lid, reduce heat to minimum. Pour rawa evenly with one hand and simultaneously stir with a spatula with the other hand. Mixing of rawa in boiling water is very important while making upma. It should be mixed evenly - else it may form lumps - which totally spoils the dish.

Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 5 - 8 minutes till all the water evaporates. Mix/ turn the Upma once in a while. Once ready, sprinkle grated coconut ( optional ) and serve with Mixture / Alu Bhujia / Kukka Humman / Potato Palya ...