UPMA

I make Upma once a week in breakfast, i learned it from a north India friend who was very good in cooking, then improvised it with a maharshtrian friend. Actually I dont know Upma belongs to which region..maharashtra or south, but i like it as its a healthy breakfast, though i dont put the same quantity of oil one sees in the restaurants.

Ingredients:

one and half cup semolina

4 cups water

1 tsp mustard seeds

3 greenn chillies split

salt to taste(half tsp. for me)

5 french beans..chopped very finely

1small carrot..chopped finely

1 onion..chopped..optional( I dont use it)

1tbsp. roasted chana daal

few curry leaves

oil 4 tsp.

juice of one lemon

Take a pan, and roast the semolina on medium fire for 4 minutes., then take it off.

Now in the pan, put 1 tsp. oil, heat it.

add mustard seeds and when they start splitting add chana dal and roast till it is light brown.

Add curry leaves and green chilli and stir

add the vegetables and stir for 2 minutes.

Now add water.

Add salt, rest of the oil and juice of one lemon. and let it boil.

When it is boiling , slow the fire and add roasted semolina, stirring all the time, till the mixture is smooth.

Now cook for one minute and its ready.

You may garnish it with chopped coriander leaves and fried cashewnuts.

we enjoy this as it is or sometimes with pickle.

Tips......onion and tomato are optional, if you like them then add onion before curry leaves and tomato with the vegetables.