A traditional breakfast dish, of Tamilnadu especially amongst the Tamil Brahmin community . It’s a granular rice based delicacy , which is a mixture of spices like cumin , black pepper , curry leaves and dal , with genurous sprinking of coconut gratings
It s generally cooked in a Vengala Paanai or a thick brass vessel and the aroma is heady as all ingredients are sauteed in coconut oil . Generally it is served as a evening tiffin in many homes .
When served hot with brinjal kothsu or a fiery chutney it tastes divine .
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Raw rice 1 cup
- Water 2 cups or a little more
- Red gram dal (Thuvar dal)3 tablespoons
- Salt half teaspoon
- Cumin seeds half teaspoon
- Black pepper half teaspoon
- Coconut oil 6 to 8 tablespoons
- Grated coconut half a cup
- Red chillies 4 to 5
- Blackgram dal (urad dal) 1teaspoon
- Mustard 1 TSP
- Curry leaves 6 to 8 leaves
Method
- Take the rice and dal and grind it to rava /semolina texture.
- In a thick bottom pan , or a Vengala Paanai or kadai ,
- Add oil and heat .
- When it becomes hot add mustard, when it splutters , add red chillies , black gram dal , curry leaves and saute .
- When the dal becomes slightly brown , slowly add water from sides .
- Boil it well . As it boils add the rava mixture gradually and mix well . Add grated coconut too , cumin seeds and black pepper .
- Keep extra hot water separately , so that it could be used if required .
- Cook the rice mixture till it becomes soft .
- Stir often .
- If you feel the mixture needs more water to cook sprinkle some on top .
- Keep the fire on low while cooking .
- Drizzle ghee on top .
- Serve hot with chutney or side dish of your choice .
- Relish this flavourful Upma .
Note
- You can use other oils like refined oil or sesame oil for the upma.
- But coconut oil gives the best taste .
- You can add cashewnuts to the above upma to make it more crunchy .
- Green gram dal or payatham paruppu , too can be added to the rice instead of Thuvar dal .