Upma, or uppuma semolina, is a dish originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is a common meal that the Indians have for breakfast, lunch or dinner, one cooked with semolina, a mix of spices and vegetables. As semolina is made of wheat, it cooks and fluffs up in volume once cooked in water, just like rice does, which makes it a complete substitute for rice in the Indian regions.
The original recipes would call for spices such as mustard and cumin seeds. I removed some of these ingredients from my dish so that it can still remain palatable for a young kid, especially one who is rather picky with food. I must say, it does take a bit of getting used to the new texture and taste, having never eaten semolina in this manner. But I can see why it can be a popular staple among the Indian community, given how flexible it is to vary the ingredients to suit one’s preferences and tastebuds.
Ingredients:
- Oil: 2 tbsp
- Ginger: 1/2″, grated
- Onion: 1, diced
- Tomato: 1, diced
- Carrot: 1/2, diced
- Water: 2 cups
- Semolina: 1 cup
- Salt: to taste
- Sugar: to taste
- Coriander: 1 stalk, chopped
Method:
- Heat oil in wok. Fry ginger and onions till fragrant.
- Add in tomato and carrot. Saute till lightly browned.
- Add in water. Leave to simmer for 1min.
- Add in semolina. Keep stirring to prevent lumps from forming.
- Add salt and sugar to taste.
- Garnish with coriander to serve.
Disclaimer:
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This is a slightly more fusion style of making uppuma semolina that has less of the Indian spices (e.g. mustard seeds, curry leaves) and so is more lightly flavoured than the authentic versions. I have adapted this recipe from my secondary school Home Economics textbook in order to use up the semolina that remains in my cupboard.
Serving:
2 – 3 persons
