Rava Upma in Instantpot

Upma is a basic tiffin item of Tamilnadu. While saying this, all South Indians love dosa idli better. Upma is a kind of handy dish only. Dosa maavu can never run out of our houses as if it is kept in some 'Akshaya patram'. Some people make fun of upma as it is commonly made in college hostels. But hubby and me love upma very much. This upma used to come handy during some rare occasions.  I know nowadays we are all blessed with the privilege of cereal or bread, but before this era, our moms used to trust in this humble upma. Still I love upma better than many readymade boxed breakfasts. I remember how amma used to whip out some upma , the minute we landed  after some vacation. 

I started preparing most basic dishes in instantpot in a simplified manner and am recording them for my family and friends. I have done this recipe in 3qt duo IP. You can try in any electric cooker. 

Hope this recipe comes handy !

Upma with sugar and tomato pickle

Ingredients: (for 2 adults)
Rava (semolina) - 1 1/4 cup
water - 2 1/2 cup
(water = number of cups of ravai x 2) 

salt - 1/4 tsp  
onion - 1 (small)
green chilly - 2
ginger - 1 inch
curry leaf - 1 sprig
channa dhal - 1 tbsp
mustard - 1/2 tsp
sesame oil - 3 tbsp.

Method:
Switch on the IP and choose saute mode. 

Add the rava and roast for 3 minutes. (We can skip this by pre-roasting the rava or by buying double roasted rava). 

Dry roast the rava till it smells good (not red, just white only).
Transfer it to a plate .

Chop the onion, curry leaf, ginger, green chilly finely.

Now press cancel.

Press saute. 

Heat 3 tbsp oil in the same wok.

Add mustard seed, channa dhal and let mustard crackle. Add  all the chopped ingredients along with it. Put a pinch of salt to fasten the process. Saute 3 minutes till onion starts to become transparent, 

Press cancel. 

Then change to pressure cook mode in high pressure setting for 3 minutes.

Add the water, Salt and rava.

Close the lid. Put the pressure valve.

Sometimes the pressure safety valve may not rise. Still the rava gets cooked well.

If the pressure valve is on, then wait 5 minutes and release the pressure naturally.

Open the lid , sprinkle some chopped cilantro if needed. 

Rava upma is ready !

Serving suggestions:

Serve as breakfast or dinner along with coconut chutney or sugar.
The above said quantity is for two adults.

Note: 3/4 cup rava for 1 adult. If we are adding some vegetables like carrot, peas, then reduce the rava to 1/2 cup per person.

Basic rasam

Here is a basic rasam recipe for everyday cooking. 

Ingredients:

Tamarind - Amla size (key lime size)

tomato - 1
Turmeric powder - a pinch
water - 3 cups
sesame oil - 2 tbsp
curry leaf - 1 sprig
mustard (kaduku)- 1/2 tsp
fenugreek (venthayam) - 1/4 tsp
asafoetida (hing) - a pinch
garlic - 1 whole (small)
cumin - 1 tsp
whole black pepper - 1 tbsp
salt - to taste

Directions:

Microwave tamarind + 3/4 cup water for 1 minute. Let cool. 
Extract juice from tamarind by adding 1 cup water each time and repeat thrice or till water runs almost clear.  
Add chopped tomato. (or add 2 tbsp pureed tomato).
Add turmeric powder, salt. Keep aside.

Peel garlic. Grind the garlic, pepper, curry leaf, hing and cumin coarsely without water.

Heat oil in a wok.
Add the fenugreek and mustard . After the mustard gets splutter , put the garlic pepper mixture.

Saute few seconds (30 seconds).

Now pour the tamarind extract and let it boil till the raw smell vanishes. Add chopped cilantro (optional).
Then switch off the flame  

Serving suggestions:
Makes 500 ml of clear rasam.
Let the rasam settle down first and just serve the top layer of rasam.
Serve over hot rice along with appalam or thogaiyal .
If preferred serve as a soup , but after meals.

Cooking time: 10 minutes.

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Treats for friends.....Chicken briyani, coconut cookies, chocolate cookies, carrot cake I prepared for Easter.

My 'Rabbit Rabbit' painting, March 2021

Millet adai

 Adai is a kind of spicy dosai (Tamil cuisine). If you want to read more please click to see my usual adai recipe, nine grain adai. I prepared a newer kind of adai this week using millet along with other ingredients. This tastes more similar to the original adai, but this feels lighter.  This is my own version of a millet adai, hope you all try this and enjoy !

Millet Adai with karakulambu and sugar

Thinai millet 

To grind:
Idly rice / any rice - 1/2 cup

Foxtail millet (thinai) - 1 cup
Channa dhal (Kadalai paruppu) - 1/2 cup

green gram (whole) - 1/2 cup
urid dhal (Uluntham paruppu) - 1 tbsp
ginger - 1 inch

whole black pepper - 2 tbsp

cumin - 1 tsp
Dry red chilli - 5
Asafoetida powder (hing) - 1 tsp
turmeric powder - 1 tsp
salt - 2 tsp (to taste)

To add before making adai:
onion - 2 cup
cilantro - a handful
curry leaf - 1 sprig

cumin - 1 tsp

Method:
Wash and soak together everything given 'to grind'  for 4-5 hours (except ginger, salt, turmeric, hing).
I soaked it by 6 Am and prepared the batter by noon and made this adai for dinner.
(If you plan to make adai for a special breakfast, then soak all the items told and keep it inside fridge overnight.
Otherwise soak the rice overnight and soak the dhals for just 2 hours in the norning.
Because while making adai , the dals should not ferment).

Grind all soaked items together to a medium coarse dosa batter .
Finely chop the onion, cilantro , curry leaf and add this to adai dosa batter.
Heat a thick cast iron dosa pan and coat it with a little sesame oil. Drizzle water and wipe clean.
(Thick traditional dosa tawas make crispy adais than the non stick tawas)
Then pour a ladle of batter and make thick dosas.
Flip it. wait to get adai cooked on both sides.

It will take around 3 - 5 minutes for each adai to be cooked completely.
Like wise make as many as required.

If you need to prepare it faster, use two dosa tawas, as this helps better to serve a hot crispy adai.
Adai dosai is ready!

Makes nearly 15 adai.

Serving suggestion:

Serve adai hot with coconut chutney , sugar or aviyal or onion chutney.

Sometimes we enjoy this with kara kulambu too. 
Do not prepare it in batches before serving. Because adai tastes better when served hot.
So start making adai , as soon as your loving family sits in front of the dinner plate😍 

Note:  
The taste will be enhanced if we add a handful of drumstick leaves to the batter before making adai.

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