Vegetable upma is a popular breakfast item in the south of India. However, the rawa used is made from byproducts of wheat also called sooji. The traditional recipe also uses 3-4 tbsp of oil to avoid the upma from sticking to the palette. This recipe uses rice rawa instead making this gluten-free. The proportion of water used for this is perfect making the consistency likeable even to a die-hard sooji upma fan. My husband is one such fan and this isperfected after various trials and errors to obtain his approval.
Ingredients
- 2c rice rawa
- 6c water
- Unrefined salt as per taste
- 1/4cchopped beans
- 1/4c chopped carrots
- 1/4c chopped potatoes
- 1/4c chopped capsicum
- 1/2c chopped onions
- 1/4c chopped tomatoes
- 1/8c chopped coriander
- 2-inch ginger grated
- 5-6 slit green chillis ( + / - ) as per taste
- 3-4 tbsp of lemon juice ( + / - ) as per taste
- 1/2c grated coconut
- 1tbsp peanuts
- 1tsp mustard
- 1tsp cumin
- 1tsp turmeric
Method
- In an iron or clay container dry roast the rawa till you start seeing browning as you stir it. Switch off and offload the rawa to a plate. Do not leave it in the container.
- In a steamer, steam carrots, beans, potatoes and keep aside. You can use this water to make the upma. Consider this while measuring the water
- To make an oil-free tadka, in a clay or an iron heavy bottomed vessel add peanuts first and after it's half roasted, add channa dal and urad dal and continue to keep roasting. When it’s half done, add cumin and mustard seeds.
- Once it's done, add chopped onions, and continue to roast till its translucent. Then add capsicum and roast till its partially done. Next, add tomatoes and fry till they are cooked.
- Next add the water, salt, chillis, ginger and let it boil for 2 mins. Add the steamed veggies and simmer the stove.
- Now with your left hand start slowly offloading the rawa while the ladle in the right continues to mix the rawa in the water. Do this slowly and do not pour everything together.
- At this time, change the fire to medium and close the lid. Do not attempt to stir and cook the upma.
- Let this cook for 3-5 mins under the lid
- After the time passes, open the lid, mix once while gas is in sim mode and switch off the stove after its mixed
- Add grated coconut, coriander and lime and mix well again
- Serve hot.