Rava (Semolina) & Peas Upma

Uppituu/ Uppuma/Upma is an easy and simple breakfast dish. It is favourite of many. On a cold morning day having spicy upma is fun. It goes well with a cup of coffee or chai(tea).
I have used medium sized rava, onion, peas as main ingredients.

 Rava Peas Upma is stomach filling and you do not feel hungry for a long time. Rava/Semolina helps to shed extra weight and it is an energy giving grain. It is full of carbohydrates. It helps you to stay long for healthy way.

Ingredients:

Rava (Samolina : 2  cup
Curry leaves: 6 to 8 leaves
Oil: 4 table spoons
Ghee : 2 Tablespoons
Peas : 1 Cup  (Frozen peas)
Coconut : 2 Tablespoons
green chillies : 2
Salt: to taste
Water: 2 cups
Mustard seeds: 1 tea spoon
Urd Dal: 1 tea spoon
Water : 4 cups

Method:

1, Dry roast rava till the raw smell goes off. (Roast on low flame).
2. Wash and cut green chilly and curry leaves. Wash frozen green peas with fresh water boil for 2 minutes and keep it aside.

3. Wash ginger and remove the outer layer, wash it again and grate it. Keep it aside.
4. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
5. Keep a frying pan on the fire, heat and put oil. Keep 4 cups of water to boil.
6. Put mustard seeds, urid dal and fry them. Let the mustard seeds splutter.
7. Add curry leaves, cut green chilly and fry.

8. Add roasted rava and mix it well. Now add grated ginger and salt.

9. Add 4 cups of boiling water and mix it slowly. (Let the fire be on low flame while adding hot water to Upma. Add peas. Mix it well.
10. Be careful and mix it slowly. Cover the lid and cook Upma on low flame for 2 to 3 minutes.

11. Put off the fire and add grated coconut and shift the ready upma to a serving dish.

12. Serve with a small bowl of curd along with upma. (You can serve with any thing you like, fruits, sugar, chutney, chutney powder or curd.

Note:

Using different size of rava is optional. Ratio of rava and water is 1 = 2 (1 rava and 2 cups of boiling water). It differ  when you chose the size of rava. Thinner variety of rava does not take much water. The ratio is 1= 1 1/2 .
Adding onions is optional. Adding peas is also optional. I have added frozen peas. Just wash it before using frozen peas or vegetables. You can use dried peas. (Soak for at least for 5 to 6 hours and then cook before using the dry peas). Adding ghee is optional. One should roast or fry semolina nicely to get good taste and consistency of Upma.
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 4 to 5 

BRINJAL DRY CURRY

Brinjal or eggplant is loaded with iron. Brinjals are used in curries, sambar, bhatha (a type of gojju) and even in rice. Vanghi baat is very well known dish which is prepared using brinjals. 

I have prepared brinjal dry curry using fresh masala. Fresh spices are roasted and dry ground to powder and then added. The freshness and the aroma of the powder makes the curry more tasty.
There is no onion or garlic added in this curry.
Lets see the recipe now.

Things needed;
Brinjal: 3 to 4
Channa dal : 1 tea spoon
Urd dal :1 tea spoon
Red chilly : 4 to 6
Curry leaves: 5 to 6
Coriander Seeds :1 tea spoon
Fenugrik seeds: 1/4 tea spoon
Asafotodia: a pinch
Salt : to taste.
Oil : 1 table spoon
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tea spoon.
Tamarind: small ball size.
Turmeric : a pinch

Method :
1. Cut brinjal in to small pieces and put in a bowl of water.

2. Roast methi seeds, coriander seeds and red chilly one by one and powder it. Keep it aside.
3. Keep a frying pan on the fire and put oil put mustard seeds, 1/2 a spoon of urd dal

4. Let the mustard spurt. Add curry leaves, ingh and cut brinjals. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes.

5.Stir slowly and let it cook on low flame. Add a pinch of turmeric powder. Add little water and let it cook. (2 minutes).
6.  Add powdered masala ( spices ) and  tamarind pulp and salt. Mix it well nicely. 

7. Cook for  2 minutes on the fire. Stir in between so that it does not get burnt.
8. Shift the curry to a serving bowl. Spicy brinjal dry curry is ready to serve.

 Note :
 You can use lemon instead of tamarind. You can use coriander leaves also. You can also use little jaggery if you like sweet taste. Adding coconut is optional. Using rasam powder or sambar powder is also and optional. Remember fresh spice smells better. Adding onions and garlic are option. You can also add little jaggery.  (optional).
Time : 15Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3