Upma is an Indian dish made by either semolina or rice flour which is the most loved South Indian. It is one of the main sellers of bread because it is a simple and versatile meal that can be served as breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Essential Ingredients For Upma
To make a flavorful upma, you will need the following essential ingredients:
- Semolina or Rice Flour: Semolina or rice flour forms the base of upma. Both semolina and rice flour, by their nature, are responsible for this blend of the gritty and smooth textures. Opt for that which you prefer more.
- Oil or Ghee: Upma, being cooked in either oil or ghee, is the traditional way of preparing it. Ghee accentuates the dish with its rich and jolting taste, while oil is a health friendlier choice.Use whichever you prefer.
- Mustard Seeds: Mustard seeds are the main ingredients of South Indian foods and have a nutty spicy taste which helps mostly in upma which is a popular rice dish. They can also be served with any kind of warm oil and they come with a nice crunch.
- Urad Dal: Rada dal, which is also known as black gram lentils, sometimes makes it to the fry along with the mustard seeds. It just intensifies the earthiness of the upma.
- Curry Leaves: Curry leaves are an essential ingredient in South Indian kitchens and the flavorsome upma dish couldn’t exist without them. Apart from this, they often go in tempering and reveal their uniqueness through the boiling and frying processes.
- Onions: Onions contribute the magical sweetness plus concentrated flavor to the upma. One can choose the finely chopped or sliced variants as per their likings.
- Green Chilies: The green chillies are the determinants of the upma’s hot and spicy taste. Vary the amount based on your personal circumstances.
- Vegetables: Upma may be prepared with or without veggies. Onions, tomatoes, carrots, deep beans, and peas are quite popular. Apart from that, the flavor and appearance of the dish is improved as well. Along with vegetables, the overall dish becomes more nutritious and visually appealing.
- Water: The cooking of semolina or rice with water is next on the list. The water to semolina or rice flour ratio is important so that the consistency suits your personal preference.
- Salt and Spices: Salt among others must pass for seasoning the upma. Moreover, you can add the turmeric powder, the red chili powder and the garam masala for a more taste to it.
Techniques For Beginners
- Water can be mixed with semolina or rice flour in the right proportion to attain the required consistency. Start with a 1:1 Given the ratio and make it work as necessary.
- Mix the semolina or rice flour continuously into the liquid to try to avoid lumps.
- Play around with different types of vegetables and spices to make various recipes of upma by bringing certain spices.
- Do not fear to modify texture and spice according to your choice. Upma has many elements that you can easily combine to create your own unique dish.
- If you want to serve upma hot for best taste and texture, then you should serve it hot. However, it seems to lack the nice smell and moisture when left at the same place for too long.
Conclusion
To sum it up, upma is a lip-smacking and diverse dish loved by both those who are just novices in the kitchen and experienced cooks. With the mentioned ingredients and several cooking techniques detailed in this guide, you can come with the taste of a tasty upma that will make your palette fall in love with. Throughout this process, you can also play around with different vegetables and spices for making it your own. So then collect the foodstuff, follow the steps and then have a good mug of upma.
