With apologies to Roald Dahl, I have a puzzle for you Tamil speakers: Which do you think is the best way spell this delicious, semolina-based grain dish from South India? I’ve seen Uppama, Upma, Uppma, Upama. Let’s not forget that it might also be called Uppindi in the Telugu language, Upeet in Marathi and Uppittu or Kharabath in Kannada (Thank you, Wikipedia). Trying to phonetically represent words with non-English sounds or from a non-Roman alphabet can be a real pain (don’t even get me started on Arabic). Luckily, you shouldn’t need to spend any time searching the various spellings for new recipes. Uppama is one of those dishes for which you really only need to figure out the basics, and once you have that down, simply follow your instincts for whatever flavor combinations you dream up. I’m talking about wheat semolina (aka rava or sooji) uppama, but uppama can also be made from rice, bread, vermicelli, or nearly anything that will cook up into a nice soft mass when water is added.
There are as many uppama recipes as there are uppama cooks, if not more. Everyone has their own favorite flavor elements and spices to use. Typically a breakfast food in India, many people also like their uppama to be thick and almost creamy, but I eat it for dinner and prefer it to be fluffier, almost like a pilaf. This takes a bit of elbow grease, but don’t worry if it doesn’t separate for you - it will still be delicious.
The basic technique I use is to sautee some onions, nuts, mustard seeds, chillies, and spices in a large-bottomed saucepan, add finely chopped vegetables, and finally the semolina. The semolina is stirred until it becomes lightly toasted, then water is slowly added while the other hand is stirring with a wooden spoon. In no time flat, it makes a wholesome, filling, and delicious meal that is particularly nice in summer when one doesn’t want to spend an excess of time at the stove.
Recipe for Rava Uppama
Serves 3-4 as a main dish
1 cup wheat semolina (also called sooji at Indian grocers)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon brown mustard seed
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup peanuts or cashews
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh carrots
1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
1 1/2 - 2 cups water
oil for cooking
Fresh cilantro (optional) and cut limes to garnish
Heat water in a kettle until boiling.
Heat oil in a large-bottomed saucepan or saucier pan. Toss in mustard seeds and fry until they begin to pop. Add onions and sautee for a 2-3 minutes or until soft, then add the nuts, ginger, and chillies and fry for about 1 minute. Add the frozen peas and carrots and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the semolina and salt, stirring to incorporate it with the spices and vegetables. Continue stirring until the semolina becomes one shade darker.
Slowly add about 1/3 of the water to the semolina mixture, stirring rapidly after each addition to separate the grains. Continue to add water until it’s the texture you prefer (you may not end up using all the water). Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and squeeze lime over. This is delicious alone of accompanied by some yogurt and a cooling vegetable salad.
Dinner: Uppama, yogurt, and Moroccan tomato salad.
