Easy Vegetable Upma

While growing up, Upma was never a favorite of mine. I preferred Idli/ Dosa / Appam / Cornflakes any time over Upma. One of my friends had me try her vegetable upma and needless to say I was hooked. I got this recipe from her and tried it. The dish came out so nicely and was delicious as expected. 

Upma can be made using Plain Rava or Wheat Rava. Wheat Rava Upma (Sooji Gotambu) Upma is more healthier than the plain one, especially for diabetic people. Rava is a low fat, high fibre food that should be incorporated into our daily diet. Vegetable Upma makes an easy breakfast / dinner dish. 

Ingredients :

1 cup Roasted Sooji / Rava / Semolina or use Roasted Wheat Rava / Sooji Gotambu

1 cup Vegetables  - I used only Carrot, Beans and Tomatoes. We can use potato, peas, cauliflower, capsicum and cabbage along with the other 3. 

1/2 teaspoon grated or crushed ginger

1/2 teaspoon turmeric (Optional)

Salt

1 onion

1- 2 small green chilly

1 teaspoon oil

1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
1/2 Teaspoon Urad dal

4 - 6 curry leaves

Water

Prepping: ( 5 min) 

Step 1: This step is needed only if you are using Rava which is not roasted. 

Roast Rava in a pan till it starts turning slightly brown. Better to buy roasted Rava packets easily available in the markets. 

Step 2:

Cut onion, green chilly and vegetables into small slices.

Note : 

I do not make too much spicy food and am always careful with my green chillies. Please use green chillies according to the spiciness of the ones that you have bought and to your taste. 

Method of preparation: (15 - 20 min)

 Step 1: Tempering

Heat oil in a pan and when the oil becomes hot, add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds start crackling, add urad dal. Once they become slight brownish in color, add ginger and green chillies. Saute.

Step 2: 

After 2 min, add onions and Stir for 2 minutes. 

Step 3:

Add vegetables and mix well. 

Step 4: 

After 2 minutes, add 2 - 2.5 cups of water and stir well. Add salt, taste the water and adjust salt. Cover the pan with lid and let it boil. 

Step 5: 

Once it starts boiling, taste the vegetables to determine whether it is boiled enough. 

If enough, then start adding rava slowly into the mixture and keep stirring. Make sure no lumps are formed. Stir continously the whole time you are adding rava. 

If vegetables are not boiled enough, cover and cook till they are boiled well before adding rava. 

Step 6: 

Now Rava would have mixed well with the vegetables. Cover and cook for 2 - 5 minutes till rava is cooked enough. 

Stir and taste to make sure rava is cooked nicely. (Make sure Rava is not sticking to the bottom or getting burnt). Switch  off. Serve hot.