Rava Upma, the common man’s polenta.

Rava Upma

Upma is the humble Indian version of a polenta or a spicy porridge. However, despite its modest beginning, it takes on multiple incarnations thanks to the many forgiving ways you can forge its recipe. For example, Floyd Cardoz, a Bombay-born New York chef, recently won the coveted Top Chef Masters contest in Los Angeles by taking this dish and upping it to an haute cuisine. Its unassuming nature starts with its name, which simply translates to ‘salty flour.’ It has always been a breakfast for sadhus, and aam aadmis and is the go-to food for train journeys and school lunches. However, by the time you are old enough to get out of your parents’ home, you, like me, had such an overdose of Rava Upma that you want to be miles away from any kitchen that serves this dish for the rest of your life. But the secret allure of this dish cannot be denied, and you eventually crave for it. This recipe goes back to the basics, and presents its classic taste by keeping it very simple. Please give it a try.

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Rava Upma, the common man’s polenta.

Upma is the humble Indian version of a polenta or a spicy porridge. However, despite its modest beginning, it takes on multiple incarnations thanks to the many forgiving ways you can forge its recipe. This recipe goes back to the basics, and presents its classic taste by keeping it very simple. Avoid butter in this recipe to make it a vegan dish. Please give it a try.

Course

Rice

Cuisine

Indian

Servings

Ingredients

Dry Spices

• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1 tsp Urd dhal Black Gram/white lentil
• 1 tsp Chana dhal Bengal gram/split chickpeas
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• ½ tsp Hing Asofoetida Powder optional

Vegetables

• 1 Green Chili Serrano pepper large sliced along the length
• 2 Green Chili Serrano pepper large diced fine
• ½ tsp Ginger Diced Fine
• 1/4 cup Green peas Dried green peas soaked overnight
• 1/2 cup Onion Dices fine
• Curry leaves Few

Other

• 1 cup Soji Semolina, Rava
• 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
• ½ tsp Butter
• 1 tsp Salt Add to taste
• Water As needed

Course Rice Cuisine Indian Servings Ingredients Dry Spices 1 tsp Mustard Seeds 1 tsp Urd dhal Black Gram/white lentil 1 tsp Chana dhal Bengal gram/split chickpeas 1 tsp Cumin seeds ½ tsp Hing Asofoetida Powder optional Vegetables 1 Green Chili Serrano pepper large sliced along the length 2 Green Chili Serrano pepper large diced fine ½ tsp Ginger Diced Fine 1/4 cup Green peas Dried green peas soaked overnight 1/2 cup Onion Dices fine Curry leaves Few Other 1 cup Soji Semolina, Rava 2 tbsp Vegetable oil ½ tsp Butter 1 tsp Salt Add to taste Water As needed

Instructions

1. Rinse and soak the green peas overnight.
2. Pour the contents of the dry spices into a wide non-stick frying pan (put the spices in one small area of the frying pan). Pour the vegetable oil over the spices (enough to soak the spices plus a little more).
3. Heat on medium. When you first hear the sound of the mustard seed "popping," add the diced green chilies, curry leaves, butter, and ginger into the pan. Stir until the butter melts. Mix all the spices together well for a minute.
4. Add onions to the frying pan. Stir occasionally until the onions become translucent. They don’t need to be cooked to a 'golden brown' color.
5. Add two cups of water to the frying pan. Add green peas and salt. Bring the water to a first boil.
6. Add soji (rava) slowly while constantly stirring so that it does not form any lumps.
7. Keep stirring the mix until all the water is absorbed. It should happen fairly quickly.
8. Reduce the heat to low, and close the pan with its lid for a few minutes, until the soji is cooked and becomes fluffy and moist.
9. Serve hot with chutney for breakfast.