Vegetable Uppamav/Uppittu

Vegetable Cream of  Wheat Uppamav/Uppittu:
Ingredients:

Raw

Roasted

• 1 cup of Ravae (cream of wheat)
• 1 cup vegetables(peas, avaraekai, diced vegetables like carrots, bell peppers, egg plant, beans etc )
• 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro
• 5-6 curry leaves/karibaevina soppu(optional)
• 1/8" chopped ginger
• 3 or 4 green chopped chillies
• 1 tbs of urad dahl
• 1 tbs of channa dhal
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp of mustard seeds
• pinch of hingh(optional)
• pinch of turmeric(optional)
• 1/4 cup of oil
• 2 cups of water (or use the liquid  decanted from cooking the vegetables)

Uppittu with avaraekai

Method:

Cook any combination of vegetables in plenty of water till tender. Decant the liquid into a dish to use later. 

Mean while, heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Splatter the mustard seeds and then add urad dhal, channa dhal, hingh and turmeric. Roast for a couple minutes till the dhals are slightly browned (caution dahls brown quickly). Then add the ginger, cilantro, green chillies and saute further till everything is wilted. Add the ravae to the pan and continue roasting/mixing on medium heat for maybe 5 to 10 minutes (the raw smell disappears). Turn off the heat.

In a separate dish, bring  the 2 cups of the decanted liquid or plain water plus the cooked vegetables to a boil and lower heat to medium low. Add salt and the contents of the pan. Using a large spoon mix well, cover and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Check to see if the ravae is cooked (should be soft to touch). Turn off the heat and it should be ready to eat.

Cooking tips:
Use caution when adding the ravae into hot water, the contents may splatter or boil over etc. To avoid the oil from splattering, you can add the cilantro after the ravae has been sauteed. To enhance the flavour, saute 1/2 cup of finely diced onions in 1 tbs of oil and add along with the cooked vegetables while making the uppamav/uppittu.
Serving tips:
Serve uppamav hot. It can be served with chetni, sugar, pickle, yougurt etc.

Plain Cream of Rice Uppamav/Uppittu

Plain Cream of Rice/Arashi Tari Uppamav/Akki Tari Uppittu:
Ingredients:

• 1 cup of Akki tari (cream of rice)
• 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro
• 1/8" of chopped ginger
• 3 to 5 green chopped chillies
• 1 tbs of urad dhal
• 1 tbs of channa dhal
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• pinch of hingh(optional)
• pinch of turmeric(optional)
• 1/2 ccup of grated coconut

Method:
Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Splatter the mustadr seeds and add the channa dhal, urad dhal, hingh and turmeric(browns quickly). Thea a add the ginger, cilantro, chillies and sautee further for a couple minutes. Add the rice tari, mix weell and turn off the heat. In a separte, heavey bottomed pot, bring 2 1/2 cups of water to boil. Add salt and the contents of the pan mix well. Lower heat to medium low and cover. Cook for 20 minutes on low heat, mixing every now and then till the rice tari is soft to touch. Add grated coconut for taste.
Cooking tips:
If the cooked uppamav is looks too dry add a couple tbs of ghee. Can add/sprinkle more water to improve consistency.
Home made Cream of rice: Rinse a cup of rice in water and drain all the water. Spread out the wet rice on a cotton towel. Let it air dry away from the sun. Dry blend the dried rice into coarse texture. Use this to make uppamav. You can also use store bought cream of rice.
Serving tips:
Serve hot rice uppamav with ghee. You can also serve with thick yogurt.

Plain Cream of Wheat/Ravae Uppamav/Uppittu

Plain Cream of Wheat/Ravae Uppamav/Uppittu:
Ingredients:

Roasted

• 1 cup of Ravae (cream of wheat)
• 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro
• 1/8" chopped ginger
• 3 or 4 green chopped chillies
• 1 tbs of urad dahl
• 1 tbs of channa dhal
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp of mustard seeds
• pinch of hingh(optional)
• pinch of turmeric(optional)
• 1/4 cup of oil
• 2 cups of water

Method:
Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Splatter the mustard seeds and then add urad dhal, channa dhal, hingh and turmeric (dahls brown quickly). Then add the ginger, cilantro, green chillies and saute further till everything is wilted. Add the ravae to the pan and continue frying/mixing on medium heat for maybe 5 to 10 minutes (the raw smell disappears). Turn off the heat. In a separate dish, bring water to boil and lower heat to medium low. Add salt and the contents of the pan. Using a large spoon mix well, cover and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Check to see if the ravae is cooked. Turn off the heat and it should be ready to eat.
Cooking tips:
When adding the ravae into hot water, the contents may splatter or boil over etc. Use caution. To avoid the oil from splattering, you can add the cilantro after the ravae has been sauteed.
Serving tips:
Serve uppamav hot. It can be served with chetni, sugar, pickle, yougurt etc.

Thindi: Huli/tamerind Avalakki

Huli/tamarind Avalakki:

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups of thick avalakki(aval, poha)
• 1 cup tamarind mixture ( as per taste)
• 1 tsp of salt 

Tamarind mixture:

• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon tamarind paste
• 1/2" square blob of jaggery or 1 tbs brown sugar
• 1 tsp rasam powder

Break up the jaggery into tiny pieces. Thoroughly mix the tamarind paste, jagerry, rasam powder to make the tamarind mixture.
P.S. Instead of using the tamarind paste, you can soak 1" ball of natural tamarind in warm water for 10 minutes. Squeeze thoroughly and throw out the rind. To this add the jagerry, rasam powder to make the tamarind mixture.

Garnish:

• 1 tsp of channa dhal
• 1 tsp of urad dhal
• 1/4 cup of peanuts
• 1/4 cup cashews (godambi)
• 5 or 6 curry leaves
• 2 or 3 red dry chillies (loosely broken into pieces)
• 1 pinch of hingh
• 1/4 tsp of turmeric
• 1/4 cup of oil
• 1 tsp of mustard seeds
• 1/4 cup dessicated grated  coconut

 Method:

Run the avalakki through the food processor a couple times to break up the avalakki a little..  Using a large bowl toss the avalakki, salt and the tamarind mixture together. Once the avalakki has softened, heat oil in a pan on medium high and splatter the mustard seeds. Add the channa dhal, urad dhal, peanuts, cashews, red chillies, hingh and turmeric. Using a long spoon stir the contents till all the dhals, cashews and peanuts are browned. Add red chillies, curry leaves to the pan and twirl it around for a couple minutes.  Then add the softened avalakki to the pan. Mix and flip and continue to cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat till everything is piping hot. Remove pan from heat and add the desiccated grated coconut to the cooked avalakki and mix it in.

Cooking tips:

Vary salt and tamarind mixture per your taste. If the avalakki feels too dry sprinkle additional water to soften. After browning the dhals etc, thinly sliced or finely diced onions, green chillies, bell peppers etc can be sauteed in the same pan and incorporated into the dish.

Serving tips:

Serve tamarind-avalakki hot or cold. Serve with thick plain yogurt on the side.

Thindi: Huli/lemon avalakki

Huli/lemon Avalakki:

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups of thick avalakki(aval, poha)
• 3 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice ( as per taste)
• 1 tsp of salt 

Garnish

• 1 tsp of channa dhal
• 1 tsp of urad dhal
• 1/4 cup of peanuts
• 1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped
• 2 or 3 green chillies
• 5 or 6 curry leaves
• 1 pinch of hingh
• 1/4 tsp of turmeric
• 1/4 cup of oil
• 1 tsp of mustard seeds
• 1/4 cup freshly grated  coconut
• 1/2 tsp finely grated ginger/inji (ingi or mavinakai ingi)

 Method:

Rinse avalakki in cool water and drain throughly in a colander. Using a large bowl toss the avalakki, salt and cilantro together. Once the avalakki has softened, heat oil in a pan on medium high and splatter the mustard seeds. Add the channa dhal, urad dhal, peanuts, hingh and turmeric. Using a long spoon stir the contents till all the dhals and peanuts are browned. Add curry leaves, ginger and green chillies to the pan and twirl it around for a couple minutes.  Then add the softened avalakki mix to the pan. Mix and flip and continue to cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat till everything is piping hot. Remove pan from heat and add lemon juice and the grated coconut to the cooked avalakki and mix it in.

Cooking tips:

Vary salt and lemon juice per your taste. If the avalakki feels too dry sprinkle additional water to soften. Thinly sliced or finely chopped onions can be sauteed together with the green chillies for a variation. It is also common to add cooked, peeled, diced mushed potatoes to the dish. Similarly cooked peas, diced bell peppers etc can be incorporated.

Serving tips:

Serve lemon-avalakki hot or cold. Serve with thick plain yogurt on the side.

Gojj-avalakki

Gojj -avalakki
Ingredients:

• 2 cups of thick avalakki(aval, poha)
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of malagapudi(rasam powder)
• 2 tsp of puliyogarae powder(see puliyogarae pudi/powder post)

Tamarind mixture:

• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon tamarind paste
• 1/2" square blob of jaggery (or 1tbs brown sugar)

Break up the jaggery into tiny pieces. Thoroughly mix the tamarind paste, jagerry to make the tamarind mixture.

P.S. Instead of using the tamarind paste, you can soak 1" ball of natural tamarind in warm water for 10 minutes. Squeeze thoroughly and throw out the rind. To this add the jagerry or brown sugar to make the tamarind mixture.

Garnish

Garnish

• 1 tsp of channa dhal(optional)
• 1tsp of urad dhal(optional)
• 1 tsp of thoor dhal(optional
• 1/4 cup of peanuts(optional
• 5 or 6 curry leaves(optional)
• pinch of hingh(optional)
• pinch of turmeric(optional)
• 1/4 cup of oil
• 1 tsp of mustard seeds

Cooked

Method:
In a small dish heat 1/2 cup of water and melt the jaggery. Add the tamarind paste and salt, mix well and set aside.
Rinse the avalakki in cold water in a colander and drain the water. Using a large bowl toss the wet avalakki, malagapudi(rasam powder) and the puliyogarae powder. Add the tamarind mixture to it, mix well and set aside.
Heat oil in a pan on medium high and splatter the mustard seeds. Add the channa dhal, urad dhal, thoor dhal, peanuts, hingh, turmeric. Using a long spoon fry the contents till all the dhals and peanuts are browned. Add curry leaves and the contents of the bowl to the pan. Mix and flip and continue to cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat till everything is piping hot.

Cooking tips:
Vary salt, malagapudi and jaggery per your taste. Add 1/4 cup of chopped cilanto for a slight twist in flavor. Can also add desiccated grated coconut for a variation in taste.

Serving tips:
Serve gojj-avalakki hot or cold. Serve with thick plain yogurt on the side.

Bread Uppamav/Uppittu

Bread Uppamav/Uppittu:

Cooked

Raw

Ingredients:

• 1/2 loaf of bread cut up into 1" sq pieces
• 1 small onion diced
• 1/8" of chopped ginger(optional)
• 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro
• 2 or three chopped green chillies
• 1 tomato diced
• 1 tsp of mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp of salt mixed with 1/2 cup of water
• 6 tbs of oil

Method:
Toss the bread pieces into a large bowl and sprinkle the salt water and mix well. Heat oil on medium heat in a pan and splatter the mustard seeds. Add the ginger, onions, cilantro, green chillies and saute till the onions are wilted. Add the tomatoes and saute further till the tomato is all wilted. Add the bread pieces from the bowl. Continue to cook, mixing ofter for anther 10 minutes. Bread uppamav is ready.
Cooking tips:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the cooked bread uppamav for 10 to 15 minutes to make the contents crispier. Top it with some grated jalapeno cheese before baking to give a different twist.
Serving tips:
Serve bread uppamav with thick yogurt.