Rava Upma - Welcoming evening rain

Rava Upma - Welcoming an evening rain in Chennai..

It was around 5 pm in the evening. It was very dark like 7pm. We were very happy to see the dark clouds. Waited for rain till 5.45 pm. The rain showed mercy on us and showered only around 6 pm. The black clouds were bountiful. And its 7.07 pm now.. its still raining.. I dint have any idea of what to prepare for dinner. The rains pushed me to make Upma.. how else can we celebrate a rain in the evening.. that too in Chennai. 

After deciding that its upma for dinner.. I dint want to waste time anymore. I hurried to the kitchen to make upma as I wanted have hot upma when it is still raining ! My hubby was like.. "..come on.. ur gonna post upma?! everybody knows upma.. whats exciting reading about it?". I said "I know.. but I love reading about hot upma on a rainy evening.. and this post is for people like me.. " 

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Rava Upma

 Ingredients:

• Rava - 1 cup
• Onion - 1 (medium)
• Green chilli - 2 
• Mustard - 1/2 teaspoon
• Urad dhal broken - 1/2 teasopon
• Gram dhal - 2 teaspoons
• Asafoetida - 1 pinch
• Curry leaves
• Salt to taste
• Oil few teaspoons
• Ghee - 1/2 teaspoon
• Water - 2 and 1/4 cups

Procedure:

• Dry roast the rava and keep it ready. 
• Finely chop the onion. Slit the chilli lengthwise.
• Heat the oil in a pan. Add the mustartd, uradh dhal, gram dhal, green chilli, asafoetida and curry leaves. Let it splutter.
• Add the onions. Saute well till transparent but still crunchy.
• Add water to this. Add salt. Let this water come to boil.
• Once the water boils, add the rava slowly. Keep stirring when you add the rava to avoid lump formation.
• Mix it and cover.
• After 8 minutes, open and check. The upma must be ready by now. Add the 1/2 spoon ghee just to enhance the flavour as this is to celebrate the rain in chennai ! Stir it up.
• Fluffy upma is ready. Serve it hot.  

You can sprinkle coriander leaves in the end. But I never use coriander leaves for upma.

Coconut chutney goes well with upma. Even a lemon pickle is awesome with this upma. Sudden rain made the foodie in us happy.. so today we dint have any side dish.. I would say.. if the upma happens to be perfect.. it doesn't need a side dish. 

If anyone of you follow any other tips to make the best upma better.. please share it! I would love to try it.

Happy cooking !!