Upma with a twist.......and my new Blog design...:)

Let me tell u first that I am not a very big fan of Upma. Specially the plain upma that my mom used to make often for night (palaharam) light Dinner. I like my upma with vegetables...(if I really need to have upma...that it......if I can avoid it...well and good.) Thats my relationship with this food item. But after I got married, I really understood y my mom used to make this dish so often.... Coz its so easy to make.... and so tasty...(now I have started liking it.... coz its a comfort food..;)...)

As I said earlier plain upma was never my liking, so I always end up adding some or the other vegetables to it. This is one twist I have added to my upma.... I added some leftover soaked sago to it. When I started making it... I had no idea how it will taste....but believe me the outcome was nice and amazing. Thats y they call cooking the result of trial and error I guess..... sometimes these errors and trials give out such amazing results. So here goes my upma with a twist.

You need :

Semolina (sooji rava) - 1 cup

Indian pearl Sago (Sabudana ) - 1/2 cup (soaked overnight - soft and rubbery)

Red bell pepper - 1/3 cup

Onions chopped - 1/3 cup

Potatoes cubed - 1/3 cup

Salt to taste

Mustard seeds - 1tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Green chilli - 2 slit

Curry leaves - few

Ghee - 1 to 2 tsp

Fresh coriander leaves

Method :

Soak the sago for an hour. After 1 hour sprinkle around 1/2 cup water over it and leave it overnight to soak. In the morning the sago should be soft and rubbery to touch. Keep aside.

In a big vessel, heat around 4 cups of water and bring it to a boil.

In a different pan take some oil and add the mustard seeds and alloe to splutter. Now add the green chillies and Curry leaves. (you may even add ginger if u desire.) Now add the onions and saute well. Once the onions become tender and transparent add the potatoes and red bell pepper. saute well. Once the potatoes are half cooked and the pepper is tender, add the sooji and the sago to it and mix well. Add salt. Stir once again.

Now , add in around 2 and a 1/2 cups of water tot the semolina. Remember this upma wont be dry.... it has to be a buit gooey.Keep stiring while you add the water so that no lumps are formed. If u feel the upma is becoming to dry add some more water... you want your semolina and sagoo too cook right?.Make the flame medium low and stir well to remove lumps. Soon your upma will be cooked.

Remove from flame, garnish with fresh coriander leaves and a spoon ful of ghee. Stir well and serve hot.

Serve hot with coconut chutney. Best when served as a breakfast. Filling a s well as very tasty.Enjoy!

This is my new blog design. Do suggest any changes and give me comments on how it looks now...better or worse.. Thank you...:D