Vegetable Upma

 Fig.1 Vegetable Upma

Today's post is for the Tried and Tasted event held at Dil Se this month, which features Raaga - The Singing Chef!  I had never visited Raaga before (I am fairly new around here). I saw this event and her blog mentioned on other blogs. So I went and checked her out. She has tons of recipes. Lots of vegetables. Good find for future reference. From her posts, you feel Raaga is someone you might easily know, amongst your friends or class-mates or work-mates. If you explore her other blog you will see a lot of cool pics she takes around Delhi, etc. I also liked the fact that quite a few of Raaga's recipes resonate my sentiments for the quick, time-crunched style of food I often have to make.

Do I love to cook? Or am I cooking because I just have to? I think it's a combination of both.. there are times when I love to put together something awesome, don't mind the effort at all.. and other days when I am just so exhausted and tired of having to do everything on this planet!!

One such hectic day, I got home in time for a late lunch. I didn't want to cook. But I was hungry. My brain hurt and so did my body. So I did what everyone does in these situations.. I procrastinated! I surfed the internet.. the friend of all procrastinators.. hoping the food thoughts would just go away.. instead I found myself prowling on Raaga's food-blog. I casually browsed through her posts, looked at pictures of food, read her funny weeknight-stories about how she quickly whipped up something delicious! :) In no time I was in a better mood ... Look at this woman, I thought, she's cooking on weeknights! Yes, it's tough, but she's getting on with it! :) Inspired! Surely.. there must be something quick I can make for myself too! That's when I zeroed in on this quick and easy Vegetable Upma from her blog. At such times, we just let the vibes from Singing Chefs draw us to the kitchen and whip up an Upma. Go crazy and have breakfast at lunchtime! ;)

I loosely followed Raaga's recipe with whatever ingredients I had in my pantry and refrigerator. The Upma looked so good and I was so ravenous that I remembered to take a picture only after I had already scarfed down some! ;)

Here's what went into it:
Ingredients:
Rava (semolina) - 1 cup
Water ~ 2-3 cups
Mixed vegetables (chopped, frozen bag, contained onions, red and green peppers, carrots, peas, corn, lima beans, etc) - 1&1/2 cups
Udad Dal - 1/2 teaspoon
Chana Dal - 1/2 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
Heeng (Asafoetida) - pinch
Kadi patta (Curry leaves) ~ 6
Ginger paste - 1 tablespoon (I like lots of ginger)
Red chilly powder -1 teaspoon, or to taste
Oil ~ 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste

Procedure:
1) Dry roast rava (or, put it in a bowl in a microwave and heat for about 3-4 minutes).
2) Heat oil, season the udad and chana dals, mustard, heeng, kadi patta and then ginger (in that order).
3) Add frozen (semi-thawed) chopped vegetables in the pan. Saute till they are cooked. Add salt and red chilly powder. Mix well.
4) Add roasted rava, saute a bit. Now add water. Water measurement may vary depending on how high your heat is. Add reasonable amount so that rava can absorb it. Add salt, cover and cook.

That's that!! Vegetable Upma is ready and we have triumphed over another day! :)