Ragi upma

Upma / uppuma (uppu + ma meaning salted + flour) is a popular Indian dish . I think upma got its popularity status because of its versatility and omnipresence.  It used to be one of the top  quick to make Indian foods, before the noodles entered our houses via TV.  After the arrival of noodles, it kinda became a status symbol in the 90s.  Kids started preferring noodles and upma started to become a joke for many. Though the twitter world makes a lot of jokes about it, still it remains as one of the favorites for me and my hubby. People who have spent lot of time growing up in hostels in India would confuse the 'mass production upma' with the 'mother-touch homemade upma' and would laugh at it. But upma is a delicious food if it is prepared with love and care, just like any other food in the world 😍

Usually upma is made with sooji (semolina - the hard grains left after milling the flour) or wheat / rice / any carbohydrate and served as breakfast or evening snack or dinner. Ravai is one of the basic less expensive grocery in India. Ravai can be used in preparing dosai, kichidi , kesari a dessert and options are endless. So it would be always included in our monthly grocery list. 

Even though a upma is meant to be a simple dish, some wise people jazz it up with cashews, veggies, ghee and upgrade it to the next level. 

I usually make sooji upma or wheat upma only. Very rarely I make this idiyappam upma nowadays as my hubby likes the sweet idiyappam better than this spicy version. While making ragi idiyappam , I reserve some idiyappam for dinner and will make this dish. But that requires lot of effort. Buying a pack of instant idiyappam is the easiest way.  Before marriage, I used to make this ragi upma for my appa as I tried to include more ragi based foods for him instead of usual carbohydrates.  

I have always used Anil brand ragi vermicelli. This product is easily available in most Indian grocery stores. So try and fall in love with this recipe 😍

Ragi upma with coconut chutney

Anil Ragi semiya 

soak it for only one minute  and drain water immediately 

Steam cook the soaked / drained idiyappam

Prepare tempering while steam cooking is being done

I use the same steaming wok for sauté too

Add lemon juice after switching off 

Ragi umma with spicy coconut chutney

Enjoy this with sugar or chutney 

One of the best umma ever !

Ingredients: (for 2 adults)
Instant dry Ragi idiyappam - 200 gm
water - as per need

Tempering:
Peanut oil - 1 1/2  tbsp
channa dal - 1 tbsp
mustard seed - 1/2 tsp
onion - 1/2 cup 
green chilly - 2
ginger - small piece (1/2 inch)
curry leaf - few
cilantro - few
salt - to taste
carrot - 1
green peas - handful (optional)

lemon - 1/4

grated coconut - 2 tbsp
  
Method: 
Put the instant ragi idiyapam in a bow. Pour room temperature water up to the semiya is covered. 

Let it stand for a minute,  immediately drain water completely using a colander. (See image) . Don't soak it more than 3 minutes. I just rinse it for a minute and beyond that will dissolve the ragi idiayppam. 

Bring a steaming pot to boil with 2 cups of water.

Place the ragi semiya on a idli plate or a steamer plate. (I bought my steaming plate through amazon. com).

Close the lid and steam it for 10 minutes.

Take it out and keep aside. 

In the meantime start preparing the tempering.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok.

Add mustard seed. let it start to crackle. Then add the channa dhal. Wait till it gets pink. Then add chopped onion, curry leaf, cilantro, ginger, green chilly. As the onion starts to get soft, add chopped carrot, peas and stir for a minute. Add required salt.

Add the cooked ragi idiyappam.

Stir well. Add the shredded coconut.

Squeeze the lemon (taste and add the required amount).

Cover tightly with a lid. 
Switch off. 

Ragi semiya upma is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Serve as breakfast or snack or dinner along with a spicy coconut chutney or sugar.

Susiyam

Susiyam is a fried sweet dish popular in South India. In Tamil it is called as Susiyam / Sugiyam /Sooyam/ Suzhiyam, in Malayalam Sukhiyan or sugiyan or Susiyam , in Telungu Poornalu. 

In whatever name it is called, it is one of the top favorites for my hubby and me. In my childhood we all believed that susiyam was something that could be made at home only (I mean it was not sold in stores anywhere), but nowadays it can be bought from any SouthIndian sweet shop. Still homemade susiyam is my huby's favorite so I prepare it during important festivals. 

I have given 2 variations for outer covering. My favorite is using maida flour , as it is very easy and quick. But traditional one calls for the urid dal version. So choose as per your need 😍

🌸🌹🌹🌹🌸Happy Varalakshmi Poojai 🌸🌹🌹🌹🌸

🌸🌹🌹🌹🌸 Eid Mubarak 🌸🌹🌹🌹🌸

Ingrdients:
Poornam (Sweet Core): 

channa dhal (Kadalai paruppu)- 1 cup
Jaggery - 1 1/4 cup - 200 gms (equal wt of dal)
cardamom- 6.
coconut - 1/2 cup shredded
oil - 300 ml (to deep fry)

for outer covering / dipping:
maida / All purpose flour - 1/2 cup
rice flour- 2 tbsp
salt - 1/4 tsp.
baking soda - 1/4 tsp
tumeric powder- 1/4 tsp.

Jus before frying , mix everything above with 3/4 cup water to get a thick batter (like dosa batter).

Traditional covering / dipping:

Urid dal - 1/4 cup 

raw rice (pacharisi) - 1 cup

salt - 1/4 tsp

turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

baking soda - 1/4 tsp

Soak the rice for 2 hours, drain water and dry it inside house for 1/2 a day. Powder the rice and keep aside.

We can make this rice powder and keep in fridge for few days too.

Soak the urid dal for 1 hour and grind it to fine batter in a mixer. Add this to rice powder and mix with other ingredients above. It should be thick like dosa batter. Dip is ready for frying.

Method:
(1)Soak the channa dhal for an hour and drain the water. Cook the dhal with 1 cup water  till it is 3/4 th cooked.  Cook it in stove top only, as it is the best way to avoid mushy dal. 

Grind the coconut with cardamom in a mixer grinder. 

 Drain water , let cool and grind the channa in mixie along with coconut , cardamom.
(2) Add 1/4 cup water to jaggery and heat it. wait until it dissolves. Strain the jaggery solution and discard any sandy leftover at the bottom.
(3) Now add the jaggery solution to the mashed dhal and heat them in a vessel , until the mixture loses any moisture and becomes easy to handle.
(4) After the dough becomes cool, make small balls of the size of a "small Key lemon" or gooseberry.
In the mean time prepare the outer covering / dipping batter. (as said above).

(6)Heat peanut oil  / coconut oil in a frying pan . Take a ball , dip in the batter , deep fry the coated balls by flipping once . Take care not to char the balls.

Serving suggestions:
Makes 25 susiyam. It can be served as a dessert or a festive time snack.