Semolina - Vermicelli Upma / Rava - Semiya Upma

What is the breakfast dish that can be prepared in a jiffy in the Kitchen?
What do you prepare when you have unexpected guests?
Which is the one dish that have not changed with ages and can beat any of its counter parts in a wedding breakfast?
What comes to your rescue when you are short of time/ eneergy and want to eat something decent?
What is the dish that you can eat for either breakfast, lunch or dinner?

If you are in India and a South Indian like me, the probable answers for all these questions would be Upma. Though traditionally it is made of rava, upma is being now made with various other ingredients like vermicilli, cracked wheat, cornmeal, couscous etc. (After those wedding chefs), the best upma I have eaten is my mom's. She prepares even the simple upma lovingly adding all the veggies and most importantly it's perfect, Goldilocks style. It is neither dry nor mushy.

Ingredients:
Semolina / Rava - 1 cup, (heaped)
Vermicilli / Semiya - 1 cup (heaped)
Finely chopped vegetables - 2 cups
Ginger grated - 1 tsp
Green chillies, finely chopped - 4 -6 (Depending upon the spiciness)
Salt - 3 tsp
Water - 4 cups
Oil - 3 Tbsp
Mustard seeds / Rai - 1 tsp
Bengal gram / Chana dal - 1 tsp
Skinned Black gram / Urad dal - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds / Jeera -1 tsp
Curry leaves - A few
Cashews - As many as you need (Optional)


Note:
I actually used the measuring cup which comes with the rice cooker. So, I used 2 cups each of rava and semiya and 7 cups of water. I measured them again and giving you the american standard measurements. Why I am trying to give the measurements is because this gives you the perfect upma. I don't like the gooey, mushy stuff served in the name of upma.
I used onions, potatoes, carrots, green peas, French beans and chayote for the vegetables.

Method:
Dry fry the rava and semiya individually on slow - medium flame till the rava turns light brown and semiya turns golden brown. If you omit this part, the upma would be lumpy.
Heat oil in a deep bottomed pan / wok. Add mustard seeds, chanadal, urad dal and cumin seeds. When the mustard seeds start to splutter and the dals turn red, add cashews, chillies, ginger and curry leaves. Saute for a few seconds and add the chopped vegetables. Cover the pan with a lid and turn down the flame to the lowest.
Keep stirring in between till the vegetables are cooked. I usually check whether the green beans have become tender. If they are tender, all the other vegetables would have been automatically done.
Add the water and salt. Now increase the flame and let the water boil. When it comes to rolling boil, lower or turn off the stove and add rava and semiya. I usually turn off the stove to avoid the hot mixture spluttering on me. Stir properly (without any lumps) and turn on the stove again. Cover the pan again with lid and let it cook for a few minutes till it is done. Keep stirring in between. Switch off the stove. Serve hot with chutney or chutney powder or daliya powder.


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