Dalia Upma / Broken Wheat Upma

I was not much of a dalia / broken wheat person. I actually literally disliked the typical taste of broken wheat. But then..I bought a huge packet of broken wheat for making the crusty coating of Kebbe – the Lebanese kofta and I almost instantly fell in love with it!!

Now as I make breakfasts, prepare the lunch menu...I can feel my mother’s struggle to make a meal of everyone’s choice. To make one for each...to include veggies in the food...to make a complete meal, which will be tasty and quick to gobble up. To make innovative ideas for our lunch box...!! I miss those days...I miss my ma’s cooked food...I miss how my mother scolded me  when I discarded veggies from my plate..I miss the care...I miss my Ma. I could really use some of them now!! L

Heat oil and add the mustard seeds, hing / asafoetidam curry leaves and green chillies. Add the urad dal and chana dal also. I forgot so I added them with the veggies.

Add the chopped onions into them and saute for 2 minutes.

Add the veggies. Sprinkle the salt and cook them for 2 minutes. 

Add the broken wheat, turmeric powder and red chilli powder.

Add water, salt and put cover until all the veggies and broken wheat / dalia is cooked.

Sprinkle the cashew nuts and chopped coriander leaves in the end.

Dalia cooks quick...and therefore a good choice for me for breakfast!! Upma is I guess always quicker...and with dalia / broken wheat and all those veggies it’s the heavenly option for me. Even though I know I have to eat veggies and as a grownup I truly understand the importance, I just can’t comply with the action!! So the tastier dishes with veggies the better off I am. Dalia upma is just the upma made with dalia instead of rava or sooji. Smuggle in some peanuts or cashews, and some sweetness from the golden raisins...and you are too good to go!! With much of a speculation these days about a good filling breakfast...I think this Dalia Upma will serve you perfect!!

Dalia Upma

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 and ½ cup of fine dalia / broken wheat

½ onion – finely chopped

7-8 fresh curry leaves

½ tsp hing / asafoetida

1 medium tomato – chopped

1 inch stick of ginger – minced

A handful of fresh beans – chopped

A handful of baby carrots / 1 small carrot – chopped

A handful of green peas

A handful of sweet corn

1 tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp mustard seeds

A handful of fresh coriander leaves – chopped

2-3 green chillies – chopped

A few toasted un-salted cashew nuts

2 tbsp oil

Salt

Method:

Dry roast the dalia / broken wheat in a pan / kadai for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Then transfer them to a separate bowl and keep aside.

In the same pan / kadai heat the oil and add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, chopped green chillies, urad dal, chana dal and hing / asafoetida.

As soon as the seeds start crackling, add the chopped onions and minced ginger into it.

Stir and cook the onions on medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until they become translucent and then add all the vegetables into it.

Sprinkle some salt over them and cook them till they become a little soft. We don’t want them to be cooked completely at this stage.

Now add the broken wheat / dalia to the cooking vegetables along with the turmeric powder and red chilli powder.

Mix in to incorporate everything properly.

Then add 3 cups of water to them. The quantity of water should be double the quantity of the broken wheat / dalia.

Put cover and cook for 7-8 minutes or until the dalia / broken wheat is completely cooked. If needed add some more water to continue the cooking process. Taste to check that the broken wheat is cooked or not. Once cooked they will be soft and easy to chew.

Once done, sprinkle the chopped coriander leaves and toasted cashew nuts over them.

Mix in and serve hot with your choice of sev or chutney.