Breakfast Challenge Week 2: Masala Upma

Today is one of those rare mid-week 'holidays' for me. The only advantage of this 'holiday' is that I do not have to travel and so I had some more time to prepare a breakfast and savour it. I have still put in an eight hour work day for projects and assignments.

 My breakfast menu for today was a twist on the upma I make almost frequently - masala upma. I have had this recipe in my head for some time and I tried it out today. It has had great results and so I am sharing it with you.

Masala Upma

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

2 tbsps oil

2 tsps mustard seeds

1 tsp asafoetida powder

10-15 curry leaves

2 tbsps white udad dal

1 medium onion finely chopped

2-2 tsps rasam powder

1 cup rawa

3 cups water

3-4 tbsps lemon juice

Salt to taste

Method

Put the 3 cups of water to boil.

In another pan, heat the oil and temper with mustard seeds. Add  in the asafoetida powder and the curry leaves. When the curry leaves crackle add the udad dal and fry till it turns reddish. 

To this add in the onions and saute them for 1-2 minutes till they start to release the oil. Add in the rasam powder and cook it in the mixture till it's aroma releases a couple of minutes later. Add in the rawa and roast it well.  

Add the boiled water and salt and let the rawa mixture cook in it for 5-7 minutes till the rawa cooks through and the mixture has the consistency of thick porridge. 

Serve hot with lemon juice. This goes very well with filter coffee!

Masala upma in all its glory!

My leisurely breakfast today morning: masala upma and filter coffee. 

For the days when I have a time crunch, I can prepare the dry upma mixture one evening before and store it in the refrigerator after it cools down to room temperature.  The next morning I would simply have to boil water (3-4 minutes) and cook the upma in it (about 7 minutes) and I will have hot upma ready in about 10 minutes!