Rava Upma / Khichdi

Today was such a laid back day, it was awesome. Hence my post is this late. My workouts gave me a bad body ache when I got up. Both my husband and I did our Sunday chores, vacuuming, sweeping, washing and folding clothes and regular cooking.

After a long time we had a good afternoon nap. Spoke to our cousin and his to be fiancee and prepared for the week ahead. As usual we had our heavy Sunday lunch, an evening coffee and snacks, and wanted a delicious dinner.

Rava khichdi or upma is very famous in South India. It is what you usually find in any functions for breakfast or when a guy visits a girl's home for the first time while meeting parents and vice versa. There are many ways to do it. Today, I have made this using Avarekayi or Val Beans. Right now, val beans are not in season, so I have used frozen ones but without any preservatives. It can be prepared without any veggies or the usual beans, carrot, peas, potatoes and so on.

Val beans or field beans are considered exotic in some parts of India. They are available in the cold season and since its cooked and eaten, it brings warmth to the body during cold days. Back in Bangalore, people make all kinds of food using these beans. I love trying them.

Though I am not that crazy about upma, my husband and my father-in-law are biggest fans of it. They can eat it for any or all three meals for the day and with curd or rasam.

Serves: 2

Preparation Time: 5 mins to cook Val beans + 15 mins preparation time

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• A pinch of hing or asafetida
• 1 tbsp chana dal or split bengal gram
• 1 tbsp urad dal or black gram
• 10 curry leaves
• 1 inch ginger shredded
• 2 green chilies finely chopped
• 1/2 cup avarekayi or val beans cooked in microwave for 5 mins on high
• 1 and 1/2 cups Roasted Bhansi Rava (Thick Semolina)
• 3 cups water
• A pinch of turmeric
• 1-2 tbsp lime juice
• 1/2-1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp curd
• 1 tsp ghee or clarified butter
• 1 tbsp coriander leaves
• 1 tbsp coconut shredded
• Salt as needed

Method:

• In a wok add oil and let it heat. Once hot add mustard seeds and allow it to crackle.
• Then add in asafetida, chana dal and urad dal and fry until golden brown.
• Now add curry leaves, ginger and green chilies and fry for a minute.
• Add in cooked val beans and turmeric and fry for 2 minutes.
• Now add water and let it come to a boil.
• To the water add salt, sugar, curd and lime juice and give it a stir checking for taste.
• Add in the roasted semolina and mix it well with water until it thickens and the grains of semolina are smooth. It takes five minutes.
• Switch of the stove and garnish with ghee, coriander leaves and shredded coconut. Serve hot.

Note: Always add coconut and coriander at the end so that it does not get cooked much and to retain all the flavor. Ghee is added at the end just to get a good taste.