UPPITTU/UPMA/UPPINDI

Uppittu is easy to make, good option for breakfast and evening snack. Uppittu/upma served with Kesari bath (a sweet dish made with semolina) is quiet popular as chow chow bath in South Indian restaurants.Puffing hot uppittu and piping hot filtered coffee is a very satisfying combo specially on a winter/rainy morning. 

Preparation and cooking time 20 minutes

Serves - for 4 

Ingredients

ingredients for tempering 

• Local Sooji / Semolina - 2 cups
• Mustard - 1 small spoon
• Urad dal - 1/2 spoon
• Gram dal - 1/2 spoon
• Cashew nuts (optional) - 8 (cut into pieces)
• Onions - 3 medium sized
• Green chilly - 4 
• Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
• Coriander leaves - Chopped - 2 table spoonfuls
• Turmeric - 1 generous pinch
• Oil - 4 - 5 table spoons
• Salt - to taste
• Water - 4 - 5 cups*
• Coconut 1/2 cup (optional)**
• Lemon - one half (optional)***

Method

• In a thick bottomed wok/kadai dry roast sooji on medium flame with constant stirring until roasted smell wafts. You could add 1/2 spoon ghee to get aromatic free flowing sooji while roasting. Roast until the sooji turns light golden, remove from flame and keep aside. 
• In the same kadai/wok add oil and heat a little followed by mustard seeds. Let it splutter. 
• Add urad dal and gram dal fry till golden. 

water boiling in the wok 

• Add curry leaves, chopped onions, chopped coriander leaves, turmeric powder and fry till fried onion smell wafts. 
• Add water and let water boil 
• Add coconut (optional) 
• Add salt to taste 
• When water comes to boiling add roasted semolina little by little with constant stirring so that no lumps are formed. 
• Cover and let semolina cook ( it takes 2 - 3 minutes) 
• Remove from fire, squeeze in the lemon*, mix nicely and serve. 

You can have uppittu just by itself, with chutney, chutney pudi, curd, raitha, potato wafers/ chips. 

Upma ready to be served 

Tips

* Quantity of water depends on the consistency you prefer. If you like fluffy add 4 cups water, gooey then add 5-6 cups. Never add cold water to sooji that is getting cooked. Keep hot water handy to adjust consistency.

** Grated coconut is an optional ingredient. You may add coconut milk that is available in the market to get coconutty flavour.

*** Squeeze in lemon if you like tangy taste. Never add lemon to boiling water. It will leave a bitter after taste