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Rava (Sooji) Upma


Upma is one of the ubiquitous breakfast dishes that you will find in south India. It is very easy to make and makes an excellent breakfast or late afternoon tiffin dish. It can be made from broken rice, wheat or rava(sooji/cream of wheat). By adding different vegetables that are available, it can be a very tasty nutritious food for picky eaters.

Ingredients
Rava (cream of wheat) - 2 cups
Water - 4.5 cups
Mixed Vegetables (diced carrots, diced potato, sliced onion) -- 0.5 cups
Salt to taste
Asofeteida (Hing) - a pinch
Red Chillis (dry) - 2 nos
Green Chillis -- 2 nos chopped
Ginger - 1 tsp grated
Oil - 2 tbsp
Chana Dal - 2 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - 5-6 leaves
Ghee - 2 tsp


Method
1. In a heavy bottomed wide mouthed vessel add 1 tbsp oil, mustard seeds and red chillis. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add the rava and fry until the raw smell of rava disappears and it starts to brown lightly. All this while keep the stove in medium flame. Remove from flame and set aside.
2. In the same vessel, add the rest of the oil, the chana dal and fry lightly. Add the sliced onions and fry until translucent.
3. Pour 0.5 cup of water and add the vegetables, green chillis and cook until al dente.
4. Pour in the rest of the water. Add salt, asofeteida, ginger and bring the water to a boil at high heat. Once the water has started to boil reduce heat or spluttering hot rava a will burn the skin.
5. The trick to making non lumpy upma is to keep stirring the water when adding the rava. The easiest way to do this is to transfer the roasted rava into 2 glasses/cups. Pour the rava by circling the hand over the boiling water and simultaneously mixing it with a ladle using the other hand. Keep mixing until all the water has evaporated.
6. Add ghee and curry leaves and mix well. The ghee gives a nice flavor and aroma to the dish.
This dish tastes well with coconut chutney, pickle or sugar (for kiddies) on the side.

Summer Fruit Drink


When the temperatures climb the best way to chill out is a cool fruit drink. Fresh blueberries, strawberries and raspberries make a perfect blend of a fruit cocktail which my son calls pink juice. Frozen fruits too can be used for this juice but using fresh fruits does taste better.

Ingredients
Blueberries - 1/2 cup
Strawberries - 3 nos med size
Raspberries - 1/2 cup
Orange Juice - 1 cup

Method
Blend all the ingredients together. Serve with a sprig of mint. No sugar is needed as the natural sweetness of the fruits gives the drink a sweet tangy taste. For small children who would want to drink it up with a straw, strain the juice to remove the skin and the strawberry seeds.