அரிசி உப்புமா / Rice Upma

** Moved from my earlier blog **

Upma is a staple food of South Indians and finds it place in a breakfast platter without fail. But as is the human needs, variety is a must in every thing. So is the case for Upmaas too - you can make Upma using Rava(Sooji), Godumai Rava (Broken wheat / Dhaliya), Samea, Avil (Rice flakes - the famous poha), and ofcourse Arisi (Rice).

Off these, Rice upma is rarely prepared at least these days. But I remember this as one of the tastiest of the upmaas prepared by my Athai (Bhuaji - a great cook). Then they used to make it so often... It's a tummy filler and can be made interesting with suitable side dishes.

The measurements & ingredients below are my own - as you know 'customization' is the key to interesting cooking :)

Cooking vessel: Earlier they used Brass Vessel (Uruli or vengala panai). If you have one then do use it for this preparation because it adds a different taste; Else, you can cook it using the non-stick kadai or pressure cooker or pressure pan.

Ingredients (The following measurement can easily serve 2 people)

1. Raw Rice (Pacharisi preferred / Boiled Rice) - 1 Cup
2. Thoor Dhal (Arhar dhal)                                - 2-3 Tbspn
3. Cumin Seeds (Jeera)                                     - 1 Tspn (as you like the taste)
4. Pepper (Milagu)                                            - 1 Tspn (as spicy you want, I add a bit more)
5. Red Chillie                                                    - 4-5 (as spicy you want ; balance bet this & Pepper)
6. Curry Leaves                                                -  Few (Adds a great flavor)
7. Refined Oil                                                    - 2-3 tspn (for tadka & to ensure rice doesn't stick)
8. Asafoetida (Hing / perungayam)                     - 1/2 tspn
9. Mustard Seeds (kadugu)                               - 1/2 tspn
10. Bengal Gram                                                 - 1/2 tspn (for tadka)
11. Salt                                                               - Per taste
12. Water                                              - 2 Cups (as its grounded, a little lesser than you use for full rice)

Preparation Method:

1. Wash the rice and drain it by spreading it on a newspaper or pure & thin white cloth. This will absorb all water and dry the rice quickly.
2. Grind coarsely the dried rice along with Thoor Dhal, Cumin Seeds, Pepper (you can add red chillie here or during tadka). Ensure you don't powder it finely else it will be similar to Sooji-upma.
3. Place the Cooking vessel on fire and add the cooking oil.
4. Once the oil is warm, add Mustard seeds. After it splutters, add Bengal gram, and Red Chillie. Fry till they turn golden brown and then add curry leaves.
5. To this mixture add water and allow it to boil
6. As the water boils, add the grounded mix slowly with constant stirring. 
7. Once you smoothly stir the entire mixture in the water, add salt & asafoetida.
8. After a few minutes, close the container with a lid (if pressure cooker just give one whistle; Alternatively, you can just cook it in steam)
9. Cook it in simmer flame - you can check it once in a while by stirring. (in the brass vessel, we allow it to cook till it forms that 'kaandal' - the deep roasted coating in dark red /brown - if you like it)
10. Cooking time should be around 10 mts.
11. Remove from fire. 
12. Garnish with a few more curry leaves for fresh fragrance. Some might add grated coconut as well.

My first attempt at making Arisi Upma

Tips: You can store the coarsely powdered rice for future use as well. Probably, you can make some & store it for 15 days or a month.


Side Dish:

You can serve this with Coconut chutney, Brinjal gothsu, Sambhar, or any other spicy chutneys. I made a onion/tomato chutney kerala style:

Ingredients:

1. Small onions - 10 - 12 numbers if really small (or 5-6 would suffice)
2. Tomatoes - 2-4 (big - small)
3. Garlic - 4-5 cloves
4. Curry Leaves - a few
5. Red Chillie - 4-5 (depending on how spicy the chillie is)
6. Asafoetida
7. Tamarind (Imli) - just a pinch
8. Salt - to taste
9. Oil - 1 tspn

Method:

1. In a pan, add the oil, and fry garlic, onions for a few mts followed by tomatoe - till the raw smell is lost
2. Grind the fried mix with the remaining ingredients - coarsely or smoothly as you like it.
3. Garnish with curry leaves if you like it. 

Onion/Tomato Spicy chutney