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Quick Vegetable Uppma

Posted By: masterchief - about 1 year ago
Tagged in: lunch

Comfort food like Indian polenta! Imake it when I'm on my own for lunch,but recipe could easily be doubled ortripled.To begin, heat first teaspoon oil inpan (just a little oil, as you'll addmore at the end). Add black pepper,cumin, coriander and cayenne to oil, andfry for about 1 min. until fragrant.(Pepper and coriander are best freshlyground; use whole cumin if you like.)Add veggies and, if using, the garlic.(Cabbage and peas are good; chop smallto reduce cooking time. A few choppedcashews wouldn't hurt.) Sauté veggiesuntil mostly soft; add a spoonful or twoof water if veggies get dry, stick orburn. When mostly cooked, add rest ofwater, along with turmeric, salt andnutmeg. Bring to boil. Slowly addMalt-o-Meal, reduce heat, and stir tillthick, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.Inseparate pan, heat last teaspoon oil, and addmustard seeds. Let fry till they start topop. After popping for a few minutes,remove from heat and add asafetida, ifusing, and let that sizzle for just asecond, then add oil and fried spicesdirectly to uppma. Oil might pop up atyou, so be careful. Stir it in to mixthe flavors--and eat.Dish can be asthick or as loose as you like, dependingon proportion of Malt-o-Meal to water.Uppma is, I think, traditionally madewith semolina. That's tasty too, butadjust proportions and cooking time.Don't skip the black mustard seedstep--it makes the dish! Gives a greatnutty, slightly charred flavor. Yellowmustard seeds are probably more easilyfound at the store. I've never triedsubstituting them for the black ones,but I'm sure it would work okay.