Quinoa Upma

Growing up Upma was not my favorite by any means. But I have grown to like it because I am the "boss of the house" now and I cook things the way I like it 😎😎

And Quinoa is something which I make and eat but not in the top 10 of my favs. But this dish definitely pushed Quinoa into the top 10 spot. Its super delicious and healthier than a regular upma.

So certainly give it a try.

Quinoa Upma (Quinoa stir fried Indian style)

Potato Quinoa Upma

Ingredients

1. 1 cup quinoa washed well and cooked according to package direction
2. 1-2 tablespoons peanuts
3. 1 tablespoon oil, fresh lemon juice
4. 1 teaspoon each of chana dal, ural dal
5. 1/2 teaspoon each of mustard seeds, cumin, salt, turmeric
6. 1/2 cup sliced onions
7. couple of dried red chillies
8. cilantro for garnishing
9. 1 medium small potato cubed small (optional)

Cook the Quinoa according to package directions with 1/2 teaspoon salt

If using potatoes, peel it and cube it to 1 cm cubes and microwave covered for 2 minutes (just to cook it faster)

In a pan heat the oil and add the peanuts and fry for a minute. Add the mustard seeds and cover the pan and let them splutter. Add cumin, urad dal, chana dal and the dried red chillies broken into 2-4 pieces and fry for a minute. Add potatoes if using and fry all of them for 5 minutes. Add onions and mix well and fry for 3-4 minutes. Add cooked quinoa along with salt and turmeric and mix well. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and cilantro and stir to combine and enjoy

Vegetable Upma

The other day I got a heat and eat package of masala upma from the Indian store and man...that was good. I was no big fan of Upma in my childhood. I would cry every time Upma was made for breakfast in my house. But then...I married a man whose favorite breakfast is Upma. I couldn't believe it. For quite a number of years of my marriage, I would make upma my the man but I would eat something else...enter the kids. The second of the kids who is more like me than the other liked upma...AGHAST I couldn't believe it :(

But year after year, Upma's taste grew on me and now atleast I will eat it 50 % of the time. But I finally found the recipe I would like..love may be...we will see. But the point is, this vegetable upma was super delicious. Everyone should try it

Vegetable Upma (Wheat semolina with vegetables)

Vegetable Upma

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup upma ravva (coarse semolina)
2. 1 tablespoon or more cashew
3.  1/4 cup each of finely sliced potatoes, cabbage, carrots, peas and green beans
4. 1 tablespoon oil
5. 1 teaspoon clarified butter
6. 1/2 teaspoon each of cumin, urad dal, chana dal (soaked in water for 10 minutes), mustard seeds, grated ginger, turmeric
7. 1 teaspoon salt 
8. 2 dried red chillies
9. 2 green chillies
10. few curry leaves
11. 1/2 cup juice from a small lime sized tamarind

In a pan dry roast the upma ravva and set aside.

In  a pan heat the oil and ghee and add the cumin, urad dal, chana dal, mustard seeds, dried red chillies and curry leaves and cashew and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the green chillies and ginger with all other vegetables and fry for 5 minutes covered. Add turmeric and stir to combine. Add the tamarind juice and 1.5 cup more water and salt and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat and add the semolina and stir well. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes . Garnish with cilantro and serve

Other Upma Recipes

• Semiyah Upma
• Puffed rice upma
• Kaaju Upma

Puffed rice upma

Puffered rice as you all know is murmure or Murmuralu or the things that make up rice krispies cereal but ofcourse that rice krispies are loaded with corn syrup and sugar
             This upma I made with the puffered rice brings back so many memories of me playing during those hot summer afernoons during the summer holidays. We would put some puffered rice in water and hear them crackle and imagine as if we were cooking rice and thats the sound of rice getting cooked
             This is a nice variation to you regualar upma. And it tastes great too

Murmure wala Upma (Puffed rice stir fried)

Murmurala upma

Ingredients:

1. 4 cups puffed rice
2. 3 cups water
3. 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, cumin, mustard seeds, finely chopped ginger
4. 1 tablespoon peanuts/ ground nuts, finely sliced onions
5. 1 green chilly chopped
6. 1 tablespoon oil
7. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, urad dal

Soak the puffed rice in water for 5 minutes. meanwhile heat the oil in a pan and fry the peanuts for a couple of minutes. Add cumin, mustard seeds and urad dals for 3 minutes. Add onions and ginger and green chillies and fry for a couple of minutes. Add salt and turmeric and stir well. Drain the puffed rice and add it to the pan and stir to combine. Cover and simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve