Upma/ Spicy Semolina Pudding

A few days back I had written about this sweet eggless apple semolina pudding. Today, I am teaching you how to make a pungent version (before you start sweating, this is not eye-watering pungent. It's actually very delicious and balanced) of semolina pudding using corn kernels and shelled green peas. This vegetarian dish is generally made for breakfast but is also enjoyed as an afternoon tea-time snack. It's nutritious, easy to digest and is great when you want a light, fuss-free meal.  If you vegan, you can use oil instead of ghee but ghee does add a unique taste and some creaminess to this dish. In fact, ghee is extensively used in Ayurveda for its beneficial properties.

Ingredients
Teacup measurements, as always

1.5 teacup semolina (you get roasted and unroasted types in the stores. I prefer unroasted because it's handy for other dishes. If you buy roasted, you don't have to roast the semolina as mentioned in step 1 below)
2 green chilies finely chopped
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
6-8 curry leaves washed and wiped ( you can used dried as well)
A pinch of asafoetida powder
3 teaspoons urad dal ( black gram)
1/4 teaspoon  methi seeds (fenugreek seeds - they are bitter but extremely healthy)
1/3 cup corn kernels (frozen is fine)
1/3 cup green peas (paraboiled). If using frozen, use as is.
3 shallots finely chopped
6-8 cashew-nuts, broken into pieces
Salt to taste
2 teaspoons desiccated coconut/fresh coconut/frozen coconut
2 teaspoons coriander leaves finely chopped
3.5 cups of hot water
1 tablespoon ghee/oil (don't use olive oil). Sunflower or Peanut works well.
Half a lemon



Method

In a deep bottomed pan (one with a lid), roast the semolina using a wooden spatula till its smells nice. Make sure the heat is on low. It takes about 10 minutes. Keep frying it so that it doesn't burn/change colour to a darker brown. It's got to be slightly toasty.

Once done, transfer this roasted semolina onto a plate.

Now in the same pan, add the ghee/oil.

Add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida, urad dal, methi seeds and cashew-nuts.

Gently stir fry for 5 minutes.

Add the onion and green chilies next.

Add a pinch of salt to quicken the frying process.

Fry the onions for about 6 minutes.

Add the green peas and corn kernels next.

Stir fry for about 6-8 minutes.

Finally, add the roasted semolina and some salt. I generally add 1 teaspoon now and more later.

Add the hot water. Be careful at this stage because the semolina tends to sputter out when water is added. So make sure your heat is on the lowest setting and the water is hot but not boiling hot.

Cover the pan and allow to cook for about 15-18 minutes.

The semolina will swell up in size and absorb the water.

After 18 minutes, if you see that the water has been absorbed, quickly take off the cover and add the coconut and coriander leaves. Cover the pan again and allow to sit on low heat for 3-4 minutes more.

After 4 minutes, take off the heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes before taking off the cover.

Mix the semolina and vegetables well so it's all one uniform mix without lumps of semolina.

Add more salt if needed.

Squeeze some lemon juice and serve hot.

Variation: As a topping, you can put regular shev on top. Shev are gramflour fritters that are readily available in Indian/South Asian stores. Many people love adding these because it adds a crunchy texture but if you ask me, I prefer this the way it is - healthy and delicious!
Hope you enjoy making and eating this. Don't hesitate to email me or use the comment box below if you have any questions. Thank you!