UPMA KOZHUKKATTAI

This is one of the few  varieties of Upma Kozhukkattai, I make. The first one.now, other varieties to follow shortly. . White in colour and beautiful. Since rice (I have used raw rice) does not contain many nutrients, I have added split moong dhal also, which is a good source of protein, dietary fibre, low in fat, rich in potassium, calcium and vitamins, very easy to digest unlike tur dhal, which is quite heavy. I have 2 ways of adding moong dhal. Sometimes, I soak it in hot water, then add to the boiling water, while adding the rice rava. At other times, I mix it with rice, pulse into rava. This time, I have followed the second method mentioned.

Ingredients

Raw rice - 1 cup

Split moong dhal - 1/4 cup

Fresh grated coconut - 1/4 cup

Curry leaves

Green chillies - 2 finely chopped (if you want it to be less spicy, you can have them slit into two)

Broken red chillies - 2

A small piece ginger -  very finely chopped

Salt to taste

Water - 2 3/4 cups

Cooking oil -4 tbsps

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Channa dhal - 1tsp

Broken urad dhal - 1 tsp

Recipe Cuisine: South Indian; Category: Tiffin Variety

Prep time: 20mts; Cooking time: 30mts

Yields  18 - 20 kozhukkattais

1 cup rice & 1/4 cup split moong

Sprinkle some water over rice and dhal, leave aside for an hour to hour and a half, to soften rice and moong.

In the meantime, in the  small jar of the blender, pulse the rice and moong dhal to slightly coarse rava texture (by now they would have absorbed the water and softened)

In a pan, add the cooking oil.

 When mustard seeds splutter, and the seasonings become golden, add water, curry leaves and grated coconut. Sometimes I add chopped coriander too, this time I skipped, with the idea of producing flawless white kozhukkattais

Now add the rice-dhal rava too. Add salt to taste.

                   Keep it on slow flame, with a lid covered, gently stirring it now and then....

Drizzle 2 tsps of ghee also to enhance the taste

Now it is cooked to perfection, sliding around the sides of the pan.

Allow it to cool completely. If necessary, sprinkle some warm water, and knead well. But, I am 100% sure, you will not require extra water. This is the foolproof water ratio.

 Now, shape them into oval shaped kozhukkattais, gently, not applying too much pressure over them, and arrange on a greased steamer plate.

Steam for 15 minutes, and you can see the soft, fluffy steamed kozhukkattais down below.

Serve it with any  Vatha kuzhambu. It will be divine! A bowl of curds is also a good accompaniment.

Categories: South Indian Breakfasts, Tiffin Varieties