A HEALTHY BREAKFAST : UPMA

Upma is delectable and most loved breakfast foods. Originally from South India but know it gained popularity all across India and usually enjoyed for the first meal or breakfast. It is a healthy and delicious dish to start the day. As it names upma tells that uppu means ‘salt’ and maavu means ‘flour’. It is usually made with semolina (suji) but there are many variety of upma are made. 

What Is Semolina?

It is one of the very common ingredients which is easily available at our kitchen. It is a type of flour made from durum wheat. In India it is popularly known as ‘suji’ or ‘rava’. The term semolina is derived from the Italian word semila which means flour. It has many uses and makes sweet and savory dishes all over the globe. It is rich in protein, fiber, and vitamin B. It is good for health as it helps in weight loss, heart health, and digestion.

A soft crumbly upma is comfort food. It consists of many healthy ingredients that are good for the start of the day. The main ingredient is semolina which is packed with a lot of proteins and energy helps to start a healthy day. It has veggies that give the taste and other benefits too. 

It has many varieties and with various variations. Some variety of upma is as follows:

Semiya Upma : It is made from vermicelli or Asian noodles. It has vegetables with some basic spices and peanuts. It has veggies like carrots, onion, beans, peas, and broccoli. To give the crunch it has roasted peanuts.

Whole Wheat Upma : Popular in parts of southwestern Tamil Nadu for its health benefits, this upma is similar to the dalia served in northern India and is a popular dinner option and combined with a variety of vegetables.

Millet Upma : Millets are the healthy option for the upma as it contains high fiber content. It has the goodness of vegetables with cashews. Foxtail millet is a substitute for semolina. It is for the people who want to change the taste of that authentic upma with millets.

Rice Upma : It is a traditional upma recipe but it has raw rice and is quite different from the more popular semolina version both in terms of flavor and texture. Loaded with veggies and high fiber.

It is known as a healthy breakfast and has some amazing benefits. It digests slowly and it keeps you full for longer. This prevents you from overeating or indulging in unhealthy snacks. A bowl of upma has fiber, vitamins, and healthy fats. It is low in cholesterol and calories which makes it a healthy meal and helps you have a balanced diet. It is helpful in weight loss. 

Read More : ALL ABOUT PANCAKES

It is prepared using semolina and it is full of iron. Iron is an essential mineral for our body and consuming upma is an easy way of fueling your body with the mineral. It is packed with healthy vegetables which means a lot of fiber and this helps you stay active all day. Tomatoes, beans, peas, carrots you can add a lot of veggies to your bowl of upma to increase its nutritional content. This helps your body get the essential vitamins and nutrients. It keeps you energetic all day. 

Traditional Upma Recipe

Ingredients 

• Ghee 3 tbsp
• Semolina 1 cup
• Mustard seeds 1/2 tbsp
• Curry leaves 5-6
• Onion 1/2 cup
• Carrot 1/4 cup
• Peas 1/4 cup
• Green chili 1
• Peanuts 1/4 cup
• Salt as taste
• Water 2 cup
• Coriander leaves 1 tbsp

Method

1. 1. In a heat a tablespoon of ghee.
   2. Add semolina and roast till it becomes light golden.
   3. Remove the roasted semolina on a plate.
   4. In a pan roast the peanuts.
   5. Take away the husk from the peanuts.
   6. Crush the peanuts. Don’t powder it.
   7. Heat the remaining ghee in a skillet.
   8. Add mustard seeds and let it crackle.
   9. Now add curry leaves.
   10. Add onion, green chili, salt and fry until onion turns pinkish.
   11. Add carrots and peas and cook on high heat for 3-4 minutes.
   12. Add water and let it boil.
   13. Add the roasted rava and mix well.
   14. Cook for 3-4 minutes so the semolina soaks the water.
   15. Now add the crushed peanuts and mix it well.
   16. Garnish it with coriander leaves.