Tag: semolina

Upma

Upma is an Indian dish made with fine semolina. It’s commonly eaten in a number of Indian states, but everyone has their own spin on it. The South Indian version has ginger, Maharashtrians add turmeric to it, and Oriya upma has a bunch of veggies. I didn’t like upma when I was younger, except when my grandmother cooked it.

My grandmother’s upma was famous in our entire family. Nobody could come close to how soft, but rich and crisp around the edges her upma was. One day, she told me what her secret. It was so easy, I never could have guessed it on my own. It was just boiling hot water and a generous amount of fat. Since then, my upma has turned out perfect every single time. This particular recipe is our favorite, and it is not authentic to any single cuisine in India. It’s just my own take on the upma I remember from my childhood.

Servings: 2, Prep time: 5 minutes, Cooling time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • Fine semolina flour (suji/rava) 1 cup
  • Boiling hot water 1.5 cups
  • Whole green chili 1 medium
  • Ginger .5 inch piece
  • Salt as required
  • Curry leaves (kadhi patta) 6-7 leaves
  • Whole cashews 8 (optional)
  • Yellow moong dal 2 tsp (optional)
  • Clarified butter (Ghee) 4 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Instructions

  1. Finely chop the green chili. Peel and grate the ginger root.
  2. Add 1 tsp ghee to a pan and allow to heat on medium heat
  3. Add the cashews and moong dal to the hot ghee and sauté till light golden. Remove to a plate
  4. Add the remaining ghee to the same pan and add mustard seeds once the ghee is hot
  5. Once the seeds have spluttered, add the curry leaves, grated ginger and chili pieces. Sauté for 2-3 minutes
  6. Add the semolina and sauté on low heat till lightly golden and fragrant. Make sure to stir continuously, or the semolina can burn
  7. Add salt and mix properly. It is important to add salt at this point since it is difficult to mix it in after adding water
  8. Slowly add the boiling water to the roasted semolina while stirring vigorously.
  9. Cook till all the water has been absorbed. Cover, switch off the heat and let rest for 4-5 minutes.
  10. Mix in the cashews and moong dal and serve hot!

Tips

  • If you like yogurt, add it right before adding the water. It will give a nice tang to the upma
  • Cashews and moong dal are optional, but provide a good crunch. In the picture added to this post, is did not add any and it tasted just as good!
  • Any kind of fat can be used, preferably one with a high smoking point. I prefer using ghee since it gives a good nutty taste and I always have it on hand
  • I finely chop the chili since we like a bit of spice, but large pieces can be added and removed before eating for a less spicy version
  • This recipe needs to be made with constant attention. The semolina burns really quickly towards the end of roasting if we don’t pay attention. Additionally, constant stirring makes sure the water is easily and uniformly absorbed
  • You can also add any veggies you want to the recipe, like carrots and peas. These should be added right before adding the semolina with a small pinch of salt. Cook them completely before adding the semolina.

This is a nice and easy breakfast recipe to have in your repertoire. It’s also very quick to make. We eat it at least once every two weeks! I hope you give this a try and let me know how it goes! 🙂

Pineapple Sheera

Pineapple sheera is a South Indian sweet dish made of semolina. Traditionally, this contains a lot of dairy, but I have modified the recipe so I can eat it. It’s not too sweet, so it’s the perfect dish for all times of the day. I first ate it at one of the best South Indian restaurants in Mumbai called Ramashraya. This was the first time I made it though. Now, this isn’t the most traditional way to make it, but it’s very easy and foolproof.

Servings: 4 Prep time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • Fine semolina flour 1/2 cup
  • Granulated sugar 1/2 cup
  • Boiling water 1 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp to dissolve saffron
  • Chopped pineapple 1/2 cup
  • Cashews 15 whole
  • Clarified butter or coconut oil 4 tbsp
  • Cardamom powder 1/4 tsp (optional)
  • Saffron 2-3 strands (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cut the cashews into smaller pieces, preferably not more than 3 from one cashew
  2. Heat 2 tbsp clarified butter in a non stick pan on medium low heat. Add the cashew pieces and sauté till they turn a light gold. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon
  3. Boil water on the stove or in a kettle while the cashews roast. Once boiled, soak the saffron strands in 2 tbsp water in a small bowl. Set aside till needed. Using saffron is optional, and you can totally skip it. I haven’t used it in the picture!
  4. In the same pan, add the semolina and cook constantly stirring till it smells roasted and turns a dark yellow (about 10-12 minutes)
  5. Slowly add 1 1/2 cups of boiling water, while stirring constantly to make sure no lumps are formed. I’ve found that a silicon spatula works best here.
  6. Once the water has been absorbed, add the sugar and stir to dissolve it. The mixture will loosen as the sugar dissolves, then it will start sticking to the sides of the pan
  7. Once the mixture is homogeneous, add the remaining 2 tbsp clarified butter and mix well. The mixture will come together in the pan and stop sticking to the sides
  8. Add the pineapple, saffron strands with soaking water, cashews and cardamom powder. Mix well and serve hot!

Tips

  • I like buying a whole pineapple and chopping it up myself since it’s cheaper. You can use pre diced pineapple as well
  • If you’re okay with dairy, use an equal mix of water and milk instead of just water here for better texture and richer taste
  • Any type of nut can be used in the recipe if cashews are not the available. I also use 1/4 cup cashew pieces sometimes due to the fact that they’re cheaper. Nuts can also be eliminated entirely if needed
  • Clarified butter or ghee has negligible amounts of lactose and most people are able to digest it (myself included). However, you can use coconut oil to make the recipe vegan!
  • Please make sure to use a non stick pan and a silicone spatula to make this for the perfect texture and avoid a sticky mess on your pan
  • You can increase the amount of fat if you’re not counting calories. The more the fat, the better it will taste

The savory version of this recipe, upma, is also one of my favorites. I’m glad my grandmother was able to pass on the the technique to make it and the recipe before she passed away. It’s thanks to her technique that all my semolina recipes turn out perfect, including this one. I hope you give this one a try soon and as always, please let me know how it goes!