Upma (South Indian Style)

Its a famous South Indian breakfast.

Ingredients:

• Rava/ Sooji/ Semolina: 1 cup 
• Water: 2 cups
• Ghee: 1-2 tbsp
• Lemon juice(optional)
• Fresh coriander leaves (chopped)
• Tempering:
• Onion: 1 (chopped)
• Green chilli:  1-2 (slit from center and halved)
• Chopped ginger: 1 tsp
• Curry leaves: a few
• Salt: to taste
• Oil: 3-4 tbsp
• Raw Peanuts: 1-2 tsp
• Cashews: 1-2 tsp 
• Chana daal: 1 tsp
• Washed urad daal: 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds/ Rai: 1tsp
• Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
• Hing: a pinch

Method:

• Roasting Sooji: (This step is optional though)

• Heat a pan. Add sooji and dry roast it for 7-10 mins.
• Turn off the flame before sooji turns brown (Turn off before sooji changes colour). Keep it aside.
• Wash chana daal and urad daal and keep them aside.

• Tempering:

• Heat oil (3-4 tbsp) in pan.
• Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds . Let them splutter for a min.
• Add chana daal, peanuts and washed urad daal. Roast it on low flame for 7-10 mins till daals doesn't taste raw.
• Add ginger, curry leaves, onions, green chilli, cashews, salt, hing. Cook for 3-4 mins till onions turn translucent.
• Tempering is ready.

• Boil 3-4 cups water.
•  Lower the flame and slowly add sooji while stirring constantly.
• Add boiled water to the pan. Mix well so that no lumps are formed. (Add more water, if needed)
• Cook for 3-5 mins. Turn off the flame.
• Add ghee and mix it.
• Add lemon juice and fresh coriander leaves and mix it.
• Cover and let it rest for 2-3 mins.
• Serve hot with coconut chutney, sambar or as such with tea.

PS:

• Make sure you turn off the gas before sooji changes colour.
• If you want, you can roast sooji in 1 tsp oil.
• You can use roasted peanuts as well.