Rawa Upma

#Rawa #Upma : Whenever you have to prepare a tiffin in a jiffy then this #rawaupma comes in handy. Rawa upma is one of the best quick fix tiffins. It is prepared just like Broken wheat upma which we have seen already.

Also we have already seen the preparation of Rice Upma and Kodo millet upma.
Now let me elaborate how to make rawa upma.

Ingredients :

1 Cup                                    Rawa ( Sooji )

2 Tsp                                     Salt
1/2 Tsp                                   Ghee

1                                            Onion, nicely chop

3 or 4                                     Green chilly, slit lengthwise

10 or 12                                 Curry leaves

1 Tsp                                      Ginger nicely chopped

Other nicely chopped Vegetables :

1 Tbsp                                     Carrot

1 Tbsp                                     Cabbage ( Optional )

1 Tbsp                                     Capsicum ( Optional )

1 Tbsp                                      Green Peas

To Temper :

1 Tsp                                      Mustard seeds

1 Tsp                                      Black gram ( Urad Dhal )

3 Tsp                                      Gram dhal

1 small piece                           Asafoetida ( Perungayam - Hing )

4 Tsp                                      Oil

Method :

Keep a heavy bottomed vessel or kadai on a stove on slow flame.
Add ghee and roast rawa till it gives out nice smell and becomes bright white color.
Transfer on to a plate and keep aside.

In the same kadai add oil and crackle mustard seeds.

Then add asafoetida piece and dhals. Allow the dhal to become golden color.

Now add curry leaves and green chilly.

Saute for 1/2 minute and then add onion.

Saute onion until it turns to pale pink color.

Now add cut pieces of carrots.

Keep stirring with a ladle for a minute.

Then add green peas. Saute for 1/2 minute and then add 2 cups of water and salt.
Bring it to boil on HIGH flame.

Keep the flame at High/Medium.
Add slowly the roasted rawa by left hand into boiling liquid and stirring continuously by right hand using a wooden spatula or a long spoon.
Otherwise lumps will be formed and spoil the whole preparation.
This is the crucial step to follow.

Keep stirring for 2 minutes or until the roasted rawa gets cooked.
Now keep it closed for 3 to 5 minutes.
Then again open and stir once with ladle.
Now the tasty spicy upma is ready.

Serve hot with coconut chutney or any chutney of your choice


or pickle.

Note : This tip was given by Mrs Revathy Shanmugam in a cookery show on Jaya TV.
She told that the flame should be at HIGH while adding the roasted rawa into boiling water and continuously stir with a wooden spatula/long spoon.
I have been doing rawa upma ever since I started cooking some 25 years back. All these years I used to add rawa only after reducing the flame to SIM. Now after seeing her show I started doing her way and its coming out even more better and tastier!!!!






Other recipes you may like to try

Rice Sundal

Kodo Millet Sundal

Kodo millet upma

Kuthiraivaali upma

Kodo venthaya kanji

Ideas for Breakfast / Dinner

Tiffin Recipes

Idly Milagai Podi with Flax Seeds

#IdlyMilagaiPodi with#FlaxSeeds : We have already seen the method of preparation of #IdlyMilagaiPodi using lentils and #sesame [ #till ]. But this time I prepared Idly milagaipodi using lentils and Flax seeds.
To know about Flax seeds :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flax

Ingredients:
Red Chilly                                                         15 to 20
Gram dhal ( channa dhal )                                 1/2 cup
Urad dhal  ( black gram with skin )                   1/2 cup
Asafoetida                                                          1/4 inch cube
Flax seeds                                                           1/4 cup
Oil                                                                       3 tsp
Salt                                                                      2 tsp(adjust to taste)
1/4 cup                                                                Dried Curry leaves

Method :
Take a tsp of oil in a kadai and place on a stove over slow flame.
All the ingredients have to be roasted uniformly one by one on slow flame only.
First fry asafoetida in oil & transfer to a plate.

Now roast red chillies well with a tsp of oil & transfer on to the plate.

Next fry gram dhal, then urad dhal with oil uniformly till it turns to golden color.

Now roast flax seeds without oil. Keep stirring and when it gives patt patt sound transfer on to the plate.

Dry roast salt also to remove any water present in it.

Allow all roasted ingredients to come to room temperature.

First take salt, red chillies and asafoetida in a mixie jar.

Grind well. If the mixie jar is large enough then add the roasted dhals also. Otherwise transfer the ground powder into a clean dry container.

Then grind the dhals coarsely. If the mixie jar becomes hot while grinding wait for few minutes and then grind. Finally grind the roasted flax seeds.

Now mix all the ground powders well and store in an air tight container.

Note: Skin removed Urad dhal [ black gram ] can also be used for this podi

NOTE : If dried curry leaves are not available then add 2 or 3 tsp of dry curry powder or dry roasted fresh curry leaves while grinding to improve its nutrition value!!

You might also like to try

Coriander powder for rice

Poduthalai thuvaiyal

Flax n poduthalai powder for rice

Idli milagai podi

Pepper [ milagu ] powder

For other masala powders/mixes

Masala Powders and mixes

Ideas for breakfast and dinner

Tiffin Recipes

For variety of dishes for Lunch

Lunch recipes

Kusum Greens and Sprouted Green Gram Stir Fry

#KusumGreensStirFry with #SproutedGreenGram : We get different types of green leafy vegetables here in Raipur, the capital city of Chhattisgarh, India. In other words we can call Raipur as Greens City. Here people use lots of greens in their food to make dals and curries.
This time I bought a bunch of greens called Kusum Bhaji locally. I don't know its English name. Its leaves are thicker than Palak but softer than Radish leaves.

Let me present you how I used this greens to prepare a stir fry with sprouted green gram.

Ingredients :

1/2 Cup                                   Kusum greens
1/4 Cup                                   Sprouted Green gram
1 Tbsp                                     Carrot nicely chopped
1 Tbsp                                      Capsicum nicely chopped
4 or 5                                       Mushrooms
1 Tsp                                       Green coriander seeds ( optional )
3 cloves                                   Garlich smashed

To Temper :
1 or 2                                     Red chilly, break into small pieces
1/2 Tsp                                   Mustard seeds
1 Tsp                                      urad dal
1 Tsp                                      oil

Method :
Heat a kadai with oil on slow/medium flame.
Crackle mustard seeds and then add red chilli pieces and urad dal.
Now add garlic and coriander seeds.
Saute for a minute and the add carrot.
Keep stirring for sometime and then add chopped greens and sprouted green gram.

Add salt and mix well.
Keep it closed to cook soft.
Open the lid after a minute and check.
If it is 3/4 th done then add chopped mushrooms and capsicum.

Keep the burner at high to evaporate excess water that is oozing out of greens and mushrooms.
Take care not to over cook greens and capsicum.
Now stir fry is ready.

Transfer into a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves.

An excellent side dish for sambar rice [ hot white rice mixed with sambar ]

and rasam rice [ hot white rice mixed with rasam ].

Note :

• Kusum greens can be replaced by any other green leafy vegetable available locally.

You may also like to try

Cluster beans Stir fry

Cluster Beans Lentil Masala Curry

Cabbage stir fry

Cabbage pepper Poriyal

Snake gourd stir fry

Curry Index

Variety of Dishes for Lunch

Recipe Index

Cauliflower Potato Masala Curry

#CauliflowerPotatoMasalaCurry : #Cauliflower is low in carbohydrates and low in fat. So those who are on diet can take plenty of cauliflower than rice. It is also a good source of 

Vitamin C.

Cauliflower is generally used in the preparation of manchurian, cauliflower 65, kuruma, and vegetable stir fry. But Cauliflower masala curry  in combination with boiled potato tastes very very good. I have also included some green peas which gives a different taste to the dish. 

Here comes the preparation.

Ingredients :
1/2 Cup                               Cauliflower pieces
1 big size                              Potato boiled
1 Tbsp                                 Green Peas

For Masala :
2 Tbsp                               Coconut scrap
2                                        Green chilly
1 Tsp                                 Cumin
1 Tsp                                 Fennel seeds
1/2 Tsp                              Coriander seeds
3 cloves                             Garlic
1 small size                        Onion
Small quantities of Coriander leaves and Curry leaves.

Tempering :
1/2 Tsp                             Mustard seeds
1 Tsp                                Urad dal
1 Tsp                                Oil

To Garnish :
A small amount of Coriander leaves.

Method :
Take all the ingredients given for masala in a mixie jar except onion.
Run mixie without water at first and then grind adding little water.

Finally add onion pieces and run for few seconds only.
Onion should not be ground into fine paste.
Keep aside.

Keep a kadai with oil on a stove over slow flame.
Crackle mustard seeds and then add urad dal.
When urad dal turns golden color, add cauliflower pieces and green peas.
Add salt and Saute for few second.
Close with a lid to cook them.
Add prepared masala and crumbled pieces of boiled potato.

Mix well with a ladle and allow to cook on slow fire.
Keep stirring at regular intervals to avoid burning at the bottom.
Switch off when the water content is completely evaporated.

Transfer into a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves.

Enjoy with sambar or rasam mixed rice.

It also goes well with chappathy or puri.

You might also like to try

Cauliflower manchurian

Colacasia masala  curry

Brinjal masala curry

Cauliflower stirfry

Vazhaipoo carrot poriyal

Varieties of Poriyal and spicy curry - Curry Index

Dishes related to Lunch

Ideas for Breakfast and Dinner

Recipe Index

Capsicum Sambar

#CapsicumSambar : In winter, the market is flooded with fresh Capsicums and also it costs very cheap. So I can't resist using it in all kinds of preparations. The other day I prepared sambar using capsicum. #Capsicum has a distinct taste and aroma. The sambar with capsicum was so tasty with slightly different aroma than the regular sambar done with other vegetables.
Here is the recipe :

Ingredients :

Cooked thuvar dhal                         : 1/3 cup
Tamarind                                        : 1 small nellikkai ( amla ) size
Capsicum                                       : 1 big size, chop into 1/2 inch pieces
Tomato                                           : 1 small size
Small onion                                     : 10 to 12
Green chilly                                     : 2
Curry leaves                                    : 8 to 10
Coriander leaves                               : small amount to garnish
sambar powder                              : 2 tsp ( adjust )
Coriander powder                            : 1 tsp
Turmeric powder                              : a pinch
Salt                                                   : 2 tsp ( adjust )
Mustard seeds                                  : 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida                                        : 1/4 tsp
Oil                                                   : 1 tsp

Method :
Soak tamarind in hot water.
Peel off onions and split green chillies lengthwise.
Cut tomato into 8 equal pieces.
Wash curry leaves, coriander leaves and pat dry with a clean cloth.

Keep a kadai with oil on medium flame.
Crackle mustard seeds and then add asafoetida, curry leaves and green chillies.
Saute for a few seconds.
Now add onion and saute until it gives out smell.
Then add capsicum and tomato pieces.

At this point add sambar powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder.
Saute for a minute and then add mashed dal.
Now add 1 cup of water and allow to simmer until the onions are done.
Squeeze tamarind with 1/4 cup of water and slowly add to boiling sambar.
Add required amount of salt.
Allow to simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.
Switch off the stove when sambar has come to required consistency.
Transfer into a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves.

Capsicum sambar is a very good side dish for rice mixed with dal, rice mixed with paruppu podi or paruppu thuvaiyal, and rice mixed with any thuvaiyal.
Capsicum sambar is mixed with hot white rice and can be relished with any curry/poriyal of your choice.



other sambar varieties you may like to try

Drumstick Brinjal Sambar

Onion Sambar

Potato Sambar

Aviyal

Venthaya kuzhambu

vathakuzhambu

Vadai morekuzhambu

Vazhaipoo Kuzhambu

Ideas for Breakfast/Dinner

Tiffin Recipes

Other Dishes

Variety of Dishes for Lunch

Recipe Index