Arisi Upma - How to turn a BLAH dish into a WOW dish!

This recipe is for my friend Kamakshi..and she happens to be the blog's very first follower too! Thank you Kamakshi..here's your on demand recipe! Do try it out and let me know how it turns out!

This is a very simple, quick and easy Upma recipe. But, before I start - let me tell you this. A lot of people cook this and then pressure cook it the second time. I like it just pan cooked. Also, nobody adds cashews to this upma...I do. I'm crazy but I do like a little bit of cashews in all my upmas! It kids of make it so tasty and gives a rich kick to a simple dish! Kind of like the 15 mins of fame! Goes from a blah dish to a wow dish! Get it?

To make this upma, wash about 1 cups of rice and 1/4 cups of toor daal separately. Drain all the water and let it sit for about 30 mins.

 

Then, in a mixie or food processor, grind the daal first coarsely like this.

 

Now add the wet rice to this and then add 1 tsp of cumin, a few red chillies and 1/2 tsp of black pepper. Grind all of this together again coarsely.

 

This is the consistency we need. Not too fine. Not too lumpy.

 

In a wide pan, add about 1 tsp of oil and 1 tsp of ghee. Add mustard seeds and splutter. Then, add about 1/4 cup of cashews to this and roast it a little bit till they begin to brown.

 

Now, add the powdered mixture to the pan and roast for a min.

 

Add salt to taste. Add about 2 cups of water or enough to cover all the mixture and another 1/2 inch on top.

 

This much water. Now, cover the pan. Turn the stove to simmer and let this cook.

 

When all the water is gone, and the upma looks cooked, add another 1/2 tsp of ghee and mix well. You are done! How easy was that?!

 

This is the chutney that goes good with Arisi upma. This is raw coconut chutney - that means nothing in here needs to be cooked.

Just take a mixie bowl and add all of these -about 1/2 cup fresh or frozen coconut, 1 tbsp urad daal, 2 green chillies, about a small piece of tamarind, salt and water. Grind well to a chutney consistency. You are done! Perfect tangy chutney for the upma. You do have to cook just the tadka on top - splutter mustard seeds and add on top.

 

Here's the wonderful upma and coconut chutney!

 

This guy needs his close up shot published!

 

These are for pure obsession!

 

 

This is how my daughter loves to eat them. She calls them Rice balls. And eats it with sugar! I made a smiley face for her with the rice balls!

 

Enjoy! Peace out!