Arisi maavu Upma / Rice flour Upma

Upma is a popular south indian tiffin variety done generally with Semolina, Vermicelli and Rice. Its a very healthy tiffin where lots of vegetables are added to the thick porridge of Semoline(rava)/Vermicilli or rice served with either Sambar, coconut chutney or with sugar (mostly for kids)

This particular Upma is something very special that my mom makes for me. I just love it to the core. During  my childhood when i come back from school and when my mom had this ready for me, it would be flying on air and would grab and finish it almost everything myself.

Now its been so long that i didn't eat this almost after my marriage. Suddenly i decided to prepare this on a day when i had no clue what to do, as my kids were bored of almost all the dishes i suggested them. Though i was not sure if they will like it or not, at the end i was very happy when they had competition on who is eating more :)))

There is a slightly different version of this same upma which i will explain at the end of this post.

Preparation time: 10 mins.
Cooking time: 10 mins
Serves : 2

Ingredients:

Fine rice flour - 1.5 cups
warm water - as reuired
Salt - as required

For seasoning:

Onion - finely chopped
Curry leaves
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Channa dal - 1 tsp

Method:

1. In a bowl, take the rice flour and mix it with the required amount of salt.

 2. Add the warm water little by little and mix it nicely. The consistency should not be too thick or too watery. It should be slightly thicker than dosa batter. Keep it aside.

3. Heat oil in a kadai and add the seasoning items one by one.

4. Now add the chopped onion and curry leaves and saute them well. Sprinkle very little salt for the onion.

5. Once the onion turns golden brown, add the rice flour batter to the kadai. Now without leaving it, keep mixing it with the seasoning, till everything is mixed properly and the flour gets cooked.

6. The real challenge is to keep breaking the lumps getting formed and allowing the rice flour to get cooked. Keep the flame in medium and repeat the process. Sprinkle little bit of oil now and then to get the upma cooked and to get a crunchy upma.

7. Once the upma is not sticky and crispy, it can be removed from flame. 

8. Serve hot. Once it becomes cold, it becomes rubbery which makes it difficult to eat and to enjoy the upma.

9. Sprinkle sugar and serve kids. It can be eaten alone or accompanied with any side dish of our choice.

Variation:

Soak a small amount of tamarind for about 15 mins. Extract the tamarind juice and prepare the batter with the the tamarind juice. This will give a tangy taste to the upma and this is called Puli upma.

Tip: This dish has to be eaten hot as soon as it is prepared to enjoy the real taste of it.