Arisi Upma /Cream of rice Upma

Arisi upma or cream of rice upma is avery traditional breakfast/ evening tiffin in the south. It is usually made in a heavy bottemed bronze vessel called " vengala panai". I was never a fan of this as kid. I remember having a long face whever this was served for tiffin. However I used to like the crispy caked part of the upma stuck to the bottom of the vengalapanai. It is very simple one pot mead made with rice, toor dal, cumin, coconut & spices.

Now as an dult i really appreciate the simplicity of this good old dish. My cousin from Aberdeen, UK had requested this recipe and here it is for you R....

Traditionally no vegetables are added. I added some carrots and peas to make it mre colorful and interesting for the kids. It is up to you to add any vegetables or leave them out. I am presenting a method where a pressure cooker could be used.

The first step here is to make the cream of rice, i.e to make the "kurunai".
Let's get started guys!

Get Ready ( serves 2-3)

• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1 fistful toor dal
• 1/2 tso cumin
• 1/3 cup finely chopped carrots
• 1/3 cup frozen pead
• 1/3 cup grated coconut
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp oil
• 2-3 tsp coconut oil ( gives a lot of flavor, mre the better)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp urad dal
• 1 tsp channa dal/ kadali paruppu
• 1 red chilli slit
• pinch pf asafetida
• few curry leaves
• 2 and 1/2 cups water ( if you want very soft consistenct add 2 and 3/4 cup water)

Go:

• Sprinke some water on the raw rice, just enough to coat all the grains. set aside for 30 mins. This helps to get an evenly ground cream of rice or kurunai.
• In a blender add the rice, toor dal, cumin and grind coarsely. set aside.

• In a pan, preferrable non stick add the coconut and regular oil. Once hot do the tadka with mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal, red chilli, asafetida, curry leaves.
• Add the carrot, peas and saute for 3 -5 mins.
• Add the 2and half cups of water,grated coconut, salt to taste.

• When the water comes to a boil, add the ground rice, toordal,cumin mix.
• It will boil and splutter. so reduce the heat and cover for 1-2 mins.
• Open and stir till the the maavu as it is called doesn't stick to the sides of the pan.

• turn the heat off and cover. let it sit for 5 mins.
• Transfer it to another vessel and pressure cook it for 1or maximum 2 whistles.

Serve hot with a drop of ghee and sambar, chutney, gotsu. Howevr my favorite is Vellam or jaggery! i used one red chilli which was not very spicy. If you want add more  red chilli during the tadka.