The best khara-bhath/ No vegetable upma: Beginner Series

ok, ok..here's the disclaimer. My son certifies that it is one of the best khara bhath( no vegetable you see!) :) :)

I have already written about my family's love for uppittu/upma. We love it more when it is prepared for dinner, in fact our family prefers eating breakfast items for dinner. Our usual dinner is mostly, akki rotti, ragi rotti, upma, dosa & others.

Preparation Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 10 mins

Ingredients: (Serves 2-3)
For roasting the semolina/rava:
Bombay rava/Cream of wheat/Semolina/ Uppittu rave: 1 cup
Ghee/Clarified butter: 2 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
Urad dal: 2 tsp
Channa dal: 1 tbsp
Peanuts: 1 tbsp
Cashewnuts: 2 tsp
Curry leaves: 6-8 nos, finely chopped


For tempering 2:
Oil: 1 tbsp
Green chillies: 2-3 nos
Onion: 1/2 cup or 1 medium onion, finely chopped
Grated ginger: 1/4th tsp
Tomato: 1 medium size, diced
Hot water: 3 cups
Salt: According to taste
Sugar: 1 tbsp


For the garnish:
Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp, finely chopped
Grated coconut: 2 tbsp, fresh or frozen
Lemon juice: 2 tsp


Method:
Roasting the semolina/rava:

• Heat ghee in a broad pan. When ghee is hot, add the mustard & cumin seeds. When seeds splutter, add channa dal, urad dal, peanuts & saute till the nuts turn golden brown. 

• Throw in the cashews & roast till golden brown. Add the curry leaves & saute till the leaves wilt.
• Finally add the rava & roast the semolina/rava on a medium-high heat until a nice aroma fills your kitchen (approximately 5-7 mins). You need to keep stirring the rava, else it will turn brown. Transfer the roasted rava on a clean plate & keep it aside

Upma preparation:
Meantime, add oil in the same pan (The one in which rava is roasted!). When oil is hot, add the green chillies followed by onions. Cook the onions till translucent. No need to brown them.

When onions are done, throw in the ginger & tomatoes. Cook till the tomatoes are soft.

Add salt, sugar & the hot water.  

When water starts bubbling, reduce the heat to medium-low. Slowly pour in the roasted rava & mix well ensuring no lumps. The water will splutter in all directions! Be careful!.

Close it with a lid & cook it covered for couple of minutes or until all the water is absorbed. 

Mix the cooked rava. Turn off the heat. 

Add lemon juice, coriander leaves, grated coconut & mix again.
Keep it covered for couple of minutes & serve the steaming hot upma with a teaspoon of ghee.

Notes:

• 1:3 is the semolina to water proportion. If thicker version of semolina/rava is used, you might have to increase the water by half a cup. 
• Feel free to add any cooked vegetables of your choice to make this upma more nutritious.
• More the ghee/clarified butter, better the upma!