Social media can be a tricky place. Even a small statement can trigger a debate, drive a wedge between individuals and groups. While we often witness people airing their opinions for and against policies, favourite celebrities, it is not very common to find particular dish, recipe or cuisine as a debatable topic, unless public finds it too relevant in their daily lives.
And that’s what happened this week. A simple tweet that Upma is a boring breakfast caused certain outrage, with people debating on the same. Love it or hate it, Upma in all varieties is our staple diet, across the country and is a time-saver recipe on a busy day.
This simple, humble upma bestows umpteen merits for overall wellbeing, besides being a quick, easy and nutritious South Indian breakfast, imbued with ample fibers, proteins, vitamins, minerals and ideal to commence the day on a healthy note. Most commonly prepared in the form of mashed oatmeal with dry roasted semolina i.e. sooji or rava, upma is a very versatile dish often whipped up in the mornings in the Southern parts of India, namely Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu. It can also be made with rice, vermicelli or semiya, whole wheat, millets like ragi, bajra and even given a continental twist, by prepping some mildly-seasoned upma varieties with oats, bread, corn, alongside a plethora of vegetables and nuts.
Also Read: Tasty And Healthy Breakfast Treats
Astounding Health Benefits Of Having A Nutritious Breakfast Daily:
Delicious Desi Breakfast Recipes Of Upma For Good Health:
With hectic schedules at the start of the day for every member of the family, be it little kids, teenagers or parents, you are obviously on the lookout for super-easy, nutrient-dense recipes of upma that can be cooked in a matter of a few minutes. Well, you need not search far and wide for that ultimate salubrious version of upma to begin the day with, for we bring you just what you need. Cruise through this feature, to discover two simple, true-to-tradition recipes of Mixed Veg Rava Upma, prepared with semolina or sooji and a motley of vegetables and Bajra Upma, made with nutrient-rich pearl millet and seasoned with spices.
And what’s more? Consuming a healthy breakfast like these dishes truly nourish the body and mind, by bolstering metabolism, supplying essential nutrients of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, providing ample energy, stamina through carbs, proteins, fats, enhancing brain power and lowering the risk of disease. Moreover, ingesting a balanced nutrient-rich meal at a fixed time every morning and avoiding the unhealthy habit of skipping breakfast has been proven to augment heart wellness and accelerate weight loss.
Mixed Veg Rava Upma
Ingredients:
1 cup rava i.e. semolina or sooji
3 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp urad dal
2 small red chillies
A bunch of curry leaves
1 medium onion, finely cut
3 cups water
1 medium carrot, chopped
3 tbsp green peas, boiled
Salt, as needed
Coriander leaves, for garnish
Method:
In a pan, dry roast the rava on medium flame for about 3 minutes, then switch off the stove and store it in a clean bowl to cool down.
Heat the sunflower oil in a kadai, put in the mustard seeds, once they sputter, add the urad dal, red chillies, curry leaves and onions.
Cook for 2 minutes on medium flame until the raw smell of the onion fades and they turn translucent.
Pour in the water, add the carrots, peas, required amount of salt and transfer the dry-roasted rava as well.
Stir the mixture continuously to avoid the formation of lumps.
Cook for 5 – 7 minutes until the rava soaks in the water entirely.
Turn off the flame, top off with coriander leaves and serve the mixed vegetable rava upma hot along with coconut chutney, sambar for a hearty meal at breakfast.
Nutrition:
Rava i.e. semolina or sooji is inherently low on fats, high on proteins and dietary fibers, making it a great addition to a weight loss diet, to promote digestion and satiate the appetite. It is also rich in vitamin B1, vitamin B2 for optimal metabolism. Onions are bestowed with quercetin, a potent antioxidant that averts the onset of cancer. Chock-full of vitamin A, carrots are a blessing for good eyesight, while being laden with calcium, green peas supply remarkable merits for healthy bones and joints. Coriander leaves possess vast reserves of dietary fibers, proteins to keep blood sugar levels in check and manage diabetes symptoms.
Bajra Upma
Ingredients:
2 cups bajra i.e. pearl millet, soaked overnight
2 tbsp sesame oil
Salt, as per taste
Pepper, as needed
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp urad dal
1 tbsp moong dal
1 green chilli, cut
½ cup shredded coconut
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tsp jaggery powder
Method:
Grind the bajra into a coarse powder, dry roast it in a pan on medium flame and place it in a clean vessel to cool down.
Transfer the green chilli, shredded coconut, lemon juice, jaggery powder into a mixer and blend it well, to obtain a slightly coarse paste.
Heat sesame oil in a pan on medium flame, sauté the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, along with urad dal, moong dal.
Pour in the coconut paste, powdered bajra, add the required amount of salt, pepper and stir the mixture well to allow the flavours to blend in.
Cook for 5 minutes, then switch off the flame and enjoy the bajra upma along with a pickle of your choice for a wholesome breakfast.
Nutrition:
Bajra is an amazing source of carbohydrates as well as good unsaturated fats, for ample energy to carry out physical tasks through the day. It is also high in vitamin B9 or folic acid, that helps combat fatigue and promotes reproductive wellness in women. Cumin seeds possess significant laxative traits and contain thymol antioxidants, to uplift digestion. Jaggery is a storehouse of iron, a key trace mineral for proper blood circulation and normal red blood cell synthesis in the body.
