Cracked Wheat Upma

Event: Blogging Marathon #42
Theme: Easy Evening Tiffins

Cracked wheat upma gets frequently made at my home as it is the quickest and easiest of upmas besides being healthy and delicious. Neither cracked wheat needs any prior roasting nor this upma needs onion to make it more tastier. The simple, the better. I usually go with the fine variety cracked wheat which gets cooked in a jiffy and makes it a perfect filling dish during time crunches or when one is feeling lazy. And besides one more advantage of cracked wheat over semolina is that it doesn't clump up even if you don't stir while adding it to the hot water. You can just dump the cracked wheat into the water and then stir. It makes it easier even for novices to cook a lump-free upma. 
Addition of vegetables is optional and you can add extra veggies like potatoes and beans if you prefer. If adding onions, add them along with chillies and fry them until translucent. Frozen vegetables can be substituted for fresh ones for a quicker option.

Ingredients:
1 cup cracked wheat 
1 tbsp oil (I used canola oil.)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp chana dal / split chickpeas
1 tsp urad dal / split black gram
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp cashews / peanuts
2 green chillies - finely chopped
Few curry leaves
1 small carrot - finely chopped
2 tbsp green peas
2 cups water
Salt to taste

Method:
* Heat oil in a pan and add chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and cashews in that order. When dals turn reddish and mustard seeds start to pop, add green chillies, carrot, peas and curry leaves. saute for 2-3 minutes.
* Next add water to the pan and bring it to a rolling boil.
* Lower the heat. Add salt and cracked wheat to the water and stir well. Cover and cook until done. 
* Serve warm with a chutney / pickle.

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