Pal Poli to celebrate 8 years

8 years ago, today, I sat at the computer and toyed with the idea of starting another blog. I loved cooking and I enjoyed writing. I wasn't quite sure of my reasons. But I was addicted to reading food blogs at the time. And I felt that, given how varied my cooking was, and how much friends enjoyed my food, people would enjoy the blog too. And they did. 

Over the years, I've gotten busier with other things. And this blog, like the other, got neglected. I've been cooking a lot. And I've been cooking newer things too. And most of the time I do remember to take pictures. But I find that it is the sitting myself down in front of a computer and typing out these stories that I am unable to do.

Can I find a list of excuses? My laptop conked out. The computer is in my son's room and I can't go in there when I'm done for the day because he's sleeping there. My photographs aren't good enough. And I can find many more such. But I suppose where there's a will, there should be a way. Just that in my case, there seems to be a won't. This blog has seen fewer posts in the last two years than it did on that one day in July 2007. How is that for statistics?

In the last one year, I've cooked and baked with my son, who seems to enjoy cooking more than eating. I wanted to see if there was truth in the fact that when children help make something, they are more eager to try it. I think there is some truth to this. But the day I decide that it should probably work is most likely the day that it doesn't. 

However, in all this time that I haven't blogged, I have actually used this blog for its original intended purpose: my personal recipe book. I've gone back countless number of times to check if I have the ingredients right, if I'm missing a step. And often, reading the recipes and the stories behind them makes me nostalgic. I was feeling especially nostalgic one day and thought about the Pal Poli that Amma used to make. For a week, I made it in my head, over and over. It was so simple. And I could almost taste it. Finally, about 3 weeks after I'd made it 12 times a day in my head and I was just dying to taste it, I actually made it.

For the Poli:

1 cup Maida

2 tbsp Semolina

1 tsp Ghee

A pinch of Salt

Oil for frying

Mix the ingredients except the oil into a hard dough using as little water as necessary. Divide the dough into 24 pieces. Roll them out using a little bit of oil into 4-6 inch discs. Keep these covered with a cloth until all the pieces have been rolled out.

Heat the oil and drop the rolled out polis into the oil. Deep fry them like pooris.

For the Masala Milk:

1 Litre (4 cups) Milk

1 400g tin Sweetened Condensed Milk (I used Milkmaid)

A pinch Saffron

1/4 tsp Cardamom, powdered

1 tbsp Milk Masala Powder (I used Everest)

Bring the milk to a slow boil and add the condensed milk, stirring all the while to make sure the condensed milk doesn't stick to the bottom of the vessel. Add the saffron, cardamom and the Milk Masala powder.

Arrange the polis in a dish and pour the masala milk over them. Let the polis soak in the milk.

Enjoy this dish warm or chilled. I was surprised at how easy this dish actually was and it got me thinking about the mental fatigue I seem to associate with so many of my childhood favourites.

I make no promises of what the 9th year holds for The Singing Chef. I shall endeavour to come here as often as I can and blog as much as I can. But for the time being, to those of you who have always been there for me, I want to share a little piece of sweetness, a little piece of my childhood, and say thank you for helping The Singing Chef become what it has. Thank you for being an integral part of my life. 

Semolina and Vegetable Cutlets

I always quite liked the idea of making food appealing for children. And in doing so, I hope to also let A appreciate a wide variety. To that end, I am quite particular about not making him a paruppu saadam tayir saadam child. (No offense meant to anyone. I just don't believe that food has to be rice and roti.) I would like him to learn that these dishes are food as are many others. By and large, he eats what we eat and I don't have to cook separately for him. From the age of 1, A has wanted to feed himself. I try to give him things that he can hold in his hands and eat. But since he does not want to be fed, I have to ensure that these foods are not mere snacks.

Cutlets are one such item. I remember eating a semolina and vegetable cutlet many years ago at Adyar Bakery's Shakes & Creams. I thought that it would make a good meal for A.

1/4 cup Semolina

2 tbsp Carrots, finely chopped

2 tbsp Beans, finely chopped

2 tbsp Butter Beans, cooked and finely chopped

2 tbsp Onions, finely chopped

1 tbsp Oil

1/4 tsp Turmeric

1/4 tsp Paprika

a pinch Garam Masala

Salt to taste

¼ cup Bread Crumbs
2 tbsp Flour
Oil for frying (deep or shallow)

Steam the carrot and beans until tender. You could place them in a microwave safe bowl and add a little water and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes.

Heat the oil. Fry the onions and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the semolina and roast for 2-3 minutes. Add the carrot and beans along with the butter beans. Add the paprika, salt and turmeric. Add 1/2 cup of water and cover and cook on a slow flame for 3-4 minutes. Add the garam masala and stir well. Turn off the flame and allow the mixture to cool.

Meanwhile, mix the flour with a little water to make a batter. Place the bread crumbs on a plate. Heat the oil for frying.

Make small balls of the mixture and flatten them. Coat them with the flour batter and then roll them in the bread crumbs until they are evenly covered.

I tried making these by deep frying as well as shallow frying and both methods work very well. To deep fry, slide each cutlet into the hot oil and fry on each side until brown. To shallow fry, place the cutlets on a greased pan and cook on both sides, adding a few drops of oil as necessary.

Drain on absorbent paper. Serve with tomato ketchup.

Now that I have made these, I think even left over vegetable upma would make very good cutlets.



Baked Somashe

Festivals are always about food, aren't they? When I know a certain festival is coming up, I plan what I'm going to make. This year, Gowri Tritiya and Ganesh Chaturthi came on the same day. (I doubt I will ever understand the Indian calendar system!) So, while we performed both the pujas in the morning, I decided to make Tritiya food for lunch and Chaturthi food for dinner. (Including dali saar and Patrodo.)

I decided to take it easy and brought the chaklis from a store. I then decided to take it even easier and use readymade wonton wrappers for the somashe. And given how sultry it was, I chose to bake them. They taste almost nothing like the hand rolled, deep fried versions. In fact, these are more like cookies with their caramelized sugary flavour and that crunch. I would definitely make these again.

20-22 Wonton wrappers

For the filling:

1 1/8 cup Sugar

1 cup Water

3/4 cup Coconut, scraped

1/2 cup Cream of Wheat (Rava/Sooji)

1/4 cup Cashews

1 tsp Cardamom powder

2 tbsp Sesame Seeds

Roast the coconut, cream of wheat and sesame seeds individually and keep aside.

Make a sugar syrup of 1 thread consistency with the sugar and water. Add the coconut, sesame and cream of wheat along with the cashews and cardamom powder. Mix well and allow to cool.

Place a wonton wrapper inside a somashi press. Place some filling on one half and dab a little water along the edges. Cover with the other half and close the press and hold it down. Remove the somashi from the press, remove the excess wrapper and seal the edges again with your fingers (just to be doubly sure!). Place on a damp towel and cover. Repeat with the other wrappers.

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.

Place these on a greased baking tray and bake for 7 minutes. Turn each somashi over and bake for another 7 minutes. Your almost "no-sweat" somashe are ready! This post is late for Ganesh Chaturthi, but by the time you get to read this, I would be attending the Visarjan puja at my uncle's place in Matunga. I hope you all had a good Teyi/Chavati.

Sheera

I have very few Indian sweets on this blog. There are a few payasams and a couple of kulfis, but that's about it. I guess it says a lot about my taste. I must admit, I am not the biggest mithai fan on this planet. When I do crave an Indian sweet, it is far simpler to get a small box from the mithai shop than to try making it at home. In fact, it is easier to go to the sweet shop and buy just one piece and eat it. (And I have done that. It satisfies the craving then and there. Plus you are not "forced" to give in to temptation later on.)

This is by far the simplest sweet dish to make. I made it one morning as it was my father-in-law's birthday. S was very surprised to see a sweet dish at the breakfast table, sitting pretty next to the upma. The quintessential Bangalore Darshini combination that makes Chow-chow Bhaat!

1 cup Cream of Wheat(Rava/Sooji/Semolina)

1 cup Sugar

1 cup Milk

1 Ripe Banana, chopped

1 cup Water

2-4 tbsp Ghee (Clarified Butter)

1 tbsp Cashews

1 tbsp Raisins

¼ tsp Cardamom Powder

Roast the semolina in 1 tbsp of ghee over a low flame till it lets out a lovely aroma and turns light brown.

In a separate vessel, heat the milk, banana, sugar and water. When the mixture comes to a boil, add the cardamom powder. Add the roasted semolina and cover and cook for 5-10 minutes.

In a frying ladle, heat 1 tbsp of ghee and fry the cashews until brown. Add the raisins and take the ladle of the heat. Add this to the cooked semolina mixture. Add the remaining ghee to the sheera and mix well. Enjoy this fresh. And if you're lucky to have leftovers, heat some in a kadhai the next day. Allow some parts to get crisp. Enjoy the same dish in a different avatar.

Wheat and Green Gram Doddak

Fusion foods. I somehow always thought of them as very exotic. Like Malabar Parathas with Thai Green Curry that I once had at Cosmo Village in Bangalore. I didn't think of a fusion of two or more Indian cuisines. I made this doddak some time ago. It is only now, when I sat down to blog about it, that I figured out the fusion element in my recipe. The cross between the Andhra Pesarattu and the Konkani Gava Pittye Doddak is what became our tasty breakfast dish.

1/2 cup Wheat Flour

1/2 cup Moong Flour

2 tbsp Cream of Wheat (Rava/Sooji)
2 tbsp Coconut, scraped

1 tsp Green Chilli Paste

1/4 tsp Cumin Seeds
1/4 cup Coriander, chopped
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

For the tempering:
1 tsp Oil
1/4 tsp Mustard Seeds
1/4 tsp Asafoetida
7-8 Curry Leaves

Prepare the tempering in a small kadhai and transfer the contents to a mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients except the oil and mix well using a little water. (The batter should not be too watery, just a little thicker than dosa batter.)

Spread the dough onto a hot griddle and pour a few drops of oil on all sides. Make a slit in the centre using the spatula and pour a few drops into this slit. (This helps the oil reach the centre and aids in crispening that portion.)Turn over and allow the other side to crispen as well.)

Serve hot with a chutney, podi or sambar on the side. The moong powder makes this a meal by itself. So it is perfect for those weeknight dinners as well.

Rava Payasam

I'm not the biggest payasam fan to walk the face of the earth. I like some varieties, I avoid the rest like the plague. Well almost. I guess after two years of telling all of you what a good child I've always been, it is difficult to make you believe that I can avoid any kind of food.

After semia payasam and badam kheer, this is my favourite milk payasam. I do like a few of the coconut milk varieties.

1/4 cup Cream of Wheat (Rava/Sooji/Semolina)

1/2 can (200g) Sweetened Condensed Milk (Milkmaid/Mithai Mate)

1/2 litre Milk

½ tbsp Clarified Butter (Ghee)

½ tsp Cardamom Powder

a pinch Saffron, dissolved in some milk

For the garnish

1 tbsp Ghee

2 tsp Raisins

2 tsp Cashews

Heat the ghee in a vessel and roast the semolina for 4-5 minutes. Add enough water to cover the semolina and cover the vessel. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the milk and the condensed milk to this. Keep stirring until the mixture is even (else you'll have burnt condensed milk) and bring to a boil. Add the cardamom powder and saffron mixture. Simmer the mixture for about 10-15 minutes.

For the garnish, heat the ghee in a frying ladle. Add the cashews. When the cashews turn golden, add the raisins. When the raisins become plump, pour the contents of the ladle into the simmering mixture.

This can be had hot or cold. When kept in the fridge, this payasam takes on a creamy, pudding like texture. This is really like best had when cold. If you're fond of puddings, that is.

Bansi Rava Sheera

Many of you out there are good at cooking. But how many of you are proficient in the art or science of cooking? I know that I am. How exactly do I know this? Simple! I have a “Cooking Badge” and a certificate that says “Proficiency Badge in Cooking”.


I was a proud member of the Bharat Scouts and Guides when at school. I was a Bulbul before I became a Girl Guide. I am a President’s Guide, in other words, a recipient of the Rashtrapati Puraskar. One chilly November evening in 1991, I, along with many other Scouts & Guides, was invited to tea with the President at the Rashtrapati Bhavan . Tea was preceded by the award ceremony. In all, it was an evening I will never forget for as long as I live. One of the things took me closer to that award was this proficiency badge in cooking.


I made this dish for the very first time when I was in class 7. In my school playground on a fire that we’d gotten going using firewood (no kerosene, no paper and just one matchstick). Thankfully, I didn’t have to memorize the recipe. It is one of the simplest recipes that I have and while I normally make it with normal semolina, this time I tried it with Bansi Rava (Samba Godumai) - a variant of cracked wheat. I must say I prefer the normal one, but this was almost as tasty. I do not make too many Indian sweets and that is something I am trying to change.


1 cup Bansi Rava (or normal Semolina)
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Milk
1 cup Water
2-4 tbsp Ghee (Clarified Butter)
1 tbsp Cashews
1 tbsp Raisins
¼ tsp Cardamom Powder


Roast the rava in 1 tbsp of ghee over a low flame till it lets out a lovely aroma and turns light brown.


In a separate vessel, heat the milk, sugar and water. When the mixture comes to a boil, add the cardamom powder. Add the roasted rava and cover and cook for 5-10 minutes.


In a frying ladle, heat 1 tbsp of ghee and fry the cashews until brown. Add the raisins and take the ladle of the heat. Add this to the cooked rava mixture. Add the remaining ghee to the sheera and mix well. Enjoy this fresh.


I have had a lot of people tell me that I must add the sugar at the end as the rava won’t cook in sweet milk. I have never faced any problems and absolutely love the texture and taste of this “anytime” dessert. Try it.

Instant Semolina Dosa

My friend T was telling me about all the different dosas she had been trying out. This is one of her ideas. It reminded me of the Eggless French Toast that Coffee had put up last year. I'd not tasted that version as I ended up making my own. But I think her French Toast would have had the same flavours as this dosa.

1 cup Cream of Wheat/Semolina (Rava/Sooji)

1 Onion, finely chopped

3/4 cup Curds

3 Green Chillies, finely chopped

2 tbsp Coriander, finely chopped

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

Mix all the ingredients together and let the mixture wait for a minute or two.

Pour the dough onto a hot griddle and spread it a little. Pour a few drops of oil on all sides. Make a slit in the centre using the spatula and pour a few drops into this slit. (This helps the oil reach the centre and aids in crispening that portion.)

Turn over and allow the other side to crispen as well.

I think this dosa can be eaten just by itself. However, we had it with some pitti chitni. I know we'll make this more often. It is very easy and really tasty. Most importantly, it takes almost no time. I got around 6-7 dosas from this batter.

So this is off as an entry for this month's WBB: Express Breakfasts. Today is the last date for sending in your entries. Please do dish out a filling breakfast. It shouldn't take more than 15 minutes, should it?

Mushroom Pancake

Ever since I started blogging last year, there are a few events that I have tried not to miss. Some new ones have been added and I've tried to keep pace. There are times when I am completely unable to blog. But those months would have entries to 4-5 events, if not anything else. Weekend Breakfast Blogging would be one such event. I have sent in an entry each time this event was hosted. I am a big fan of breakfast and this is an event that celebrates the most important meal of the day.

I tried to make this in the microwave today and I am quite happy with what I got to eat. It has been ages since I cooked in the microwave and this dish reminded me of all the conveniences I was missing out on.

1 Onion, chopped finely

3 pods of Garlic, chopped finely

7-8 Button Mushrooms, sliced

6 Baby Potatoes, sliced

1 tsp Paprika

1 tsp Parsley

1 tsp Oil

1/4 cup Milk

2 tbsp Flour

1 tbsp Cream of Wheat (Semolina/Rava/Sooji)

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

3 tsp Sour Curd

1/4 tsp Soda

Salt to taste

1 slice Low Fat Cheese, torn into big pieces

Place the oil, garlic and onions in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, paprika, parsley, and salt. Microwave on high for 2 minutes again. Add the mushrooms and microwave on high for 3 minutes.

Blend the milk, cream of wheat, curd, soda and baking powder in a blender. Pour this over the mushroom mixture and mix well. Place the cheese bits over this and microwave on high for 2 minutes or until the mixture sets.

Serve hot with some salsa on the side.

This is my entry to the WBB 21, an event started by Nandita, guest hosted this month by Easy Crafts.

Ragi Doddak with Onion Tomato Chutney

Leisurely breakfasts are always pushed to the weekend. In our house, a weekend breakfast usually turns out to be brunch. We're so full (and tired) after eating (and making) something elaborate that we don't feel like lunch. On good days, we have a snack at 4 or 5 in the afternoon. On others, the breakfast is expected to take us all the way to dinner without as much as a little whimper. Last Saturday was one such. One such bad day, I mean. Breakfast ended at 1 p.m. We had tea and cookies at about 4.30. After which we drove 200 km, with another couple, to Karnal to have dinner at a Punjabi haveli style Dhaba called Haveli. Now, I am certain. I had this lingering doubt, but not any more. We must be "foodies", mustn't we?

Konkani breakfast numbers include a Doddak. I had posted the cream of wheat version earlier. The other version, made of wheat flour, also ranks highly on my list of breakfast favourites. On Saturday, I modified the wheat flour version to make use of some ragi flour that I'd asked a dear friend to bring along from Chennai. I also wanted to try out a chutney that I've eaten at many restaurants. I used my imagination to create the chutney to go with the dosa. And I'm so happy to know that this recipe's a keeper.
Ragi Doddak:

1/2 cup Finger Millet (Ragi) Flour

1/2 cup Wheat Flour

2 tbsp Cream of Wheat (Rava/Sooji)
2 tbsp Coconut, scraped

1 tsp Green Chilli Paste
1/4 cup Coriander, chopped
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

For the tempering:

1 tsp Oil
1/4 tsp Mustard Seeds
1/4 tsp Cumin Seeds
1/4 tsp Asafoetida
7-8 Curry Leaves

Prepare the tempering in a small kadhai and transfer the contents to a mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients except the oil and mix well using a little water. (The batter should not be too watery. It should be a little thicker than dosa batter.)

Spread the dough onto a hot griddle and pour a few drops of oil on all sides. Make a slit in the centre using the spatula and pour a few drops into this slit. (This helps the oil reach the centre and aids in crispening that portion.)

Turn over and allow the other side to crispen as well.

Onion Tomato Chutney

1 Onion, diced

3 Tomatoes, blanched

1 tbsp Coconut, scraped

3 Green Chillies

1" piece Ginger

Salt to taste

For the tempering:

1 tsp Oil

1/4 tsp Mustard Seeds

1/4 tsp Cumin Seeds

1/4 tsp Asafoetida

7-8 Curry Leaves

Grind all the ingredients for the chutney together.

Heat the oil for the tempering in a kadhai. Add the mustard and cumin seeds. When the mustard splutters, add the asafoetida along with the curry leaves. Pour the ground mixture into the oil and cook for a couple of minutes.

I tried both these dishes for the first time on Saturday and I must say I was very pleased with the way they turned out. Finger millet or Ragi is considered very healthy. More details can be found here. Substituting the coconut chutney with an Onion Tomato chutney was another healthy move. And this is off to Suganya who is hosting this month's WBB, my dear friend Nandita’s initiative.

Goodies for Ganpati on Ganesh Chaturthi - Part 1

I celebrated my first Chavati after marriage yesterday. It was a huge success. And at the cost of having this post sound like a vote of thanks, I still have to thank those without whom this would not have been possible. Ganpati for standing by me and making this possible. Amma, who kept guiding me each step of the way. Sachin who helped when I made everything. Latha and Lakshmi of The Yum Blog for patiently explaining what might have gone wrong and what corrective action I need to take for the kozhukattais. Laavanya for her Ammini Kozhukattai recipe. And Rasachandrika, the amchi cookbook, for guiding a novice.

For this Ganesh Chaturthi, I made Modak, Chakli, Somashe (Karanji/Nevryo), Madgane (Bengal Gram Kheer), Uppu Kozhukattai and Ammini Kozhukattai. I didn't think I'd have the patience for any of this. Normally, I'd have made some one or two items and left it at that. But I'm glad I tried.

Today's post will carry 2 of those items: Chakli & Somashe

Chakli:

3 cups Rice Flour

3/4 cup Roasted Urad flour

1/2 cup Butter

1 tbsp Sesame Seeds

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

Mix the flours and the salt. Rub in the butter and the sesame seeds. The mixture should come together in your hands. Add water to make a pliable dough. The dough should not be watery, yet moist.




Put some dough into a chakli press and make 4-5 small spirals on to a cloth. Heat the oil in a kadhai. Fry the chaklis in the hot oil till they turn brown. Drain on a paper towel. Repeat with the rest of the dough.






Somashe and Modaks:





For the outer covering:

2 cups Maida
2 tbsp Hot Ghee (Clarified Butter)


For the filling:


1 1/8 cup Sugar
1 cup Water
3/4 cup Coconut, scraped
1/2 cup Cream of Wheat (Rava/Sooji)
1/4 cup Cashews
1 tsp Cardamom powder
2 tbsp Sesame Seeds

Oil for frying


Knead the dough by mixing the maida and the ghee with enough water. The dough must be elastic. Make small balls of the dough and keep aside.





Roast the coconut, cream of wheat and sesame seeds individually and keep aside.


Make a sugar syrup of 1 thread consistency with the sugar and water. Add the coconut, sesame and cream of wheat along with the cashews and cardamom powder. Mix well and allow to cool.


For the modaks:


Roll out the dough as thinly as possible without tearing it. Place some filling inside and pleat the edge to form a cone. Pinch off the excess dough from the top once you have sealed the modak. (I formed a cup with the excess dough because we perform a modak aarti for Ganesha.) Place on a damp towel and cover.





For the Somashe:


Roll out the dough as thinly as possible without tearing it. Place it inside a somashi press. Place some filling on one half and dab a little water along the edges. Cover with the other half and close the press and hold it down. Remove the somashi from the press and seal the edges again with your fingers (just to be doubly sure!). Place on a damp towel and cover.


Deep fry the modaks and the somashe in hot oil and drain on a paper towel.


This also goes to dear Asha as yet another entry for the RCI Karnataka event. I am also sending this to Latha for her Gowri Ganesh event. I hope all of you enjoyed Ganesh Chaturthi. My wishes to you and yours.

Rulaama Doddak (Thick Rava Dosa)

This post comes in a month after I actually prepared the dish. How do I remember the date? It was S's birthday on the 3rd of August and I made these doddaks for breakfast. (Rulaam is Rava/Sooji in Konkani. Doddaks are thick dosas that are prepared by pressing the dough on to a hot griddle instead of spreading with a ladle. Sometimes, I make them by spreading too. So now you know that I'm no expert!!)

This is a really simple snack. No soaking no fermentation. This used to be weekend breakfast when we were growing up as each doddak takes a little while to crispen nicely.

Ingredients:

1 cup Cream of Wheat

1/4 cup Coconut, scraped

1/4 cup Coriander, chopped

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

For the tempering:

1 tsp Oil

1/4 tsp Mustard Seeds

1/4 tsp Cumin Seeds

1/4 tsp Asafoetida

7-8 Curry Leaves

Prepare the tempering in a small kadhai and transfer the contents to a mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients except the oil and mix well using a little water. (Do not add too much water. The batter should not be watery.)

Pat the dough onto a hot griddle and pour a few drops of oil on all sides. Make a slit in the centre using the spatula and pour a few drops into this slit. (This helps the oil reach the centre and aids in crispening that portion.)

Turn over and allow the other side to crispen as well. Serve with pitti chitni and toop (dry roasted gram chutney and ghee).

As kids, we used to gobble these up with a dollop of fresh home made butter. And we would attempt to finish eating the doddak before the butter melted entirely. I still indulge in this every once in a while, but I stick to having it with the pitti chitni and groundnut oil most of the time.

I waited all this while so I could send this entry to Asha for the RCI Karnataka event.

Rava Upma

I can write pages and pages about my love for this dish. I have blogged about several kinds of Upmas. The perfect cure for any time hunger pangs. This, however, is the basic dish. Amma would add fried cashewnuts and srpinkle coconut over this, but I just eat it with some chivda or pickle.

Ingredients:

1 cup Rava (Sooji/Cream of Wheat)

1 tbsp Oil

1/4 tsp Mustard Seeds

1/4 tsp Asafoetida

1/2 tsp Urad Dal

1/2 tsp Chana Dal

1 Red Chilli

1 Green Chilli

1/2 tsp Ginger Paste

7-8 Curry Leaves

1 tbsp Ghee (Clarified Butter)

Coriander leaves for garnish

1/2 tsp Sugar

Salt to taste

Heat the oil in a kadhai and add the urad and chana dals. When the urad dal starts to brown, add the mustard and asafoetida. When the mustard splutters, add the red and green chillies, curry leaves and ginger paste. Add the rava and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add 2 cups of boiling water to this. Add the salt and sugar and mix well. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. The upma is done when the rava sets and is not sticky.

Add the ghee and mix well. Add chopped coriander and serve with sambar and chutney or any pickle. Or just sprinkle some chivda or sev on the upma and say good bye to hunger pangs.