Mixed Vegetable Upma

Are you looking for simple and easy to make Indian breakfast? Then this south Indian breakfast is perfect. Upma is simple yet so filling, flavorful and heartwarming. I grew up eating this and for me, it is absolute comfort homey food. The recipe I am sharing today is a mixed vegetable upma. It is made with semolina/ rava. It is made in every south Indian home, restaurants and tiffin centers in South India. Upma has a soft melt in mouth texture and has a balanced taste of salty and sweet with a kick of heat from green chilly. The beautiful aroma of melted ghee makes this dish irresistibly appetizing.

Upma can be made simply with tempering and toasted nuts. Today's recipe is mixed vegetable upma. It is full of vegetables and tastes good when served warm. What you add to it is totally up to you. Peas, carrots, cauliflower, green beans seem to go well with upma. I sometimes add a very little amount of chopped pineapple, sweet plantains or dry raisins to give a sweet touch and it enhances the flavor of upma.

How to make the perfect upma?

Roasting the semolina enhances the flavor of upma. Roasted semolina has a nutty flavor and it also does not turn mushy. I always have a batch of roasted semolina in my pantry.

Use ghee for enticing taste and aroma and just a little dollop goes a long way in make this simple breakfast into an appealing dish. Add it in the final stage of cooking.

Once you add semolina stir continuously for a smooth texture and avoid dry lumps. An important thing to note is the ratio of rava/semolina and water. For one cup of roasted semolina add between 2 1/2 cups to 3 cups of water.

Along with vegetables, you can add 1/2 cup grated coconut for a sweet crunch.

How to serve upma?

You can serve upma just by itself. You can serve it just as it is or with sliced banana or with coconut chutney and vada - the perfect south Indian breakfast combo. On special occasions serve it along with pesarattu or green gram crepes (Andra style) or with sweet rava kesari (Udupi breakfast). Have you tried upma with lemon pickle or with tomato chutney? It tastes divine. It is usually served as breakfast, but you can also enjoy it as a snack

Vegetable Upma Recipe

Cooking time- 15-20 minutes
Recipe type- Breakfast
Cuisine- South Indian

Ingredients
Sooji/semolina- 1 cup
Onion medium- 1
Ginger chopped- 1 tsp
Green Chilly-2
Mixed vegetables chopped- 1 cup
(carrots, green beans, green peas,2 tbs chopped pineapple)
Coconut shredded- 1/3 cup
Water- 2 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Sugar- a pinch

For tempering
Mustard seeds- 1/3 tsp
Urad dal- 1 tsp
Channa dal- 1 tsp
Cashew nuts- 5-6
Hing- a pinch
Curry leaves- a few
Ghee- 1 tsp

Heat a pan and roast sooji in medium flame for about 3-4 minutes or till it slightly changes color.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and when it splutters add chana dal and fry for a few seconds followed by urad dal and cashew nuts. Fry till nuts change color and add curry leaves and hing.
Saute for a second and add chopped onion, green chilly and ginger. Fry till it becomes golden brown.

Add the mixed vegetables and sprinkle a little water and salt. Close the lid and cook for a minute so that the vegetables get soft. Pour about 2 1/2 cup of water and allow to boil.
When it comes to a boil add the roasted sooji. Add little by little and if using a wide pan spread the sooji in a circular motion and continuously stir to avoid lumps. It will have the texture of porridge to begin and after a minute it will start thickening up.

Stir till all the water is absorbed and from this stage use cutting motion just like using a fork and fluffing for about two minutes and switch off the flame. Add grated coconut and a teaspoon of ghee and mix well. Serve with coconut chutney or simply with grated coconut and lemon wedges.