Veggie Upma

Veggie Upma or Uppittu is a common South Indian breakfast dish, cooked as a thick porridge from dry roasted semolina. Various seasonings or vegetables are often added during the cooking, depending on individual preferences. Cooking upma is an art in itself, to make soft upma there are few tried and tested method.

One such method which I prefer to get the softest Upma is as follows

Ingredients

Semolina (Rava) (1 cup)

Cooking oil (3-4 tbsp)

Ginger root (1/2 tsp, grated)

Green chilies (2 Slit)

Chopped onions (2 med, chopped)

Chopped carrots: 2

Chopped beans: 6-7

Chopped Tomatoes: 2

Ghee: 2sps

Salt to taste

Lemon juice (2 tsp, optional)

Coriander leaves: 1/2cup

Ground nuts fried: 1/4 cup

Method of preparation

Dry-roast Semolina (rava) until it just begins to turn brown, remove then keep aside.

In a large saucepan/wok, heat the cooking oil.

Add ginger, green chillies roast it a bit then add chopped onions and fry until onions caramelize.

Add the finely chopped veggies and fry it for 5-6 min

Add tomatoes to this add salt and fry it the tomatoes are soft

Now add 3+ 1/2 cups of hot boiling water mix it with veggies and let it come to a boil

Add the roasted semolina mix it well close lid and cook till water is fully absorbed

Once the semolina is cooked add coriander & ghee mix well switch off the flame.

Garnish with fried ground nuts and lemon juice. Serve with hot.

Soft upma is ready for breakfast.

Mutton Gravy

Spicy Mutton gravy which will tantalizes your taste buds

While Preparing this Mutton curry you will enjoy the Aromas of roasted spices & its very Inviting

Ingredients:

For the marinade:

Mutton:1/ 2 kg cleaned 

Turmeric powder - a generous pinch

Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Curd- 1/2 cup

Potatoes: 2 cubed

To roast 

Big Onions - 2 sliced

Green chilies- 5-6

Tomatoes - 2 juliene

Ginger garlic paste- 2sp

Coriender leaves and stem- 1/2 cup

Coconut grated: 1/2 cup

To temper:

Oil -1-2 tbsp

Bay leaf - a small piece

Spice powder(Garam masala powder)

Cinnamon - 1/4 inch piece

Cloves - 4

Cardamom - 1-2

Star anise,-2

Method: 

Heat a pan add onion and green chilies fry it then ginger garlic paste and  tomatoes and saute it till tomatoes are little soft. add the coriender leaves and stems switch off the flame. add grated coconut and mix well.

Cool down and grind the above fried items to a fine paste with little water. 

In a pressure cooker heat oil, add bayleaf, saute for a minute.

Then add the marinated Mutton and saute it for 5mins atleast. Then add the grounded masala paste and mix well. Saute until raw smell comepltely leaves and the Mutton blends well with the masala add the spice powder of cloves, cardamom, cinnamon & star anise mix well or else you can use Garam masala powder of your choice

Add 1/2 cup water , required salt very little(add red chilli powder if required at this stage) and pressure cook for 4 whistles on medium flame. Once pressure releases, check the mutton pieces if cooked or not

Add the potatoes & liver pieces and cook for 2 more whistles. once cooled down add coriander leaves

Mutton gravy is ready to serve