To serve 2 you will need:-
Roasted semolina - 1 cup
Onion - 1 small sized, sliced
Green chilli - 2 nos, slit
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece, finely chopped
Curry leaves - few
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Split green gram - 1 tsp (a.k.a. cheru payaruparuppu)
Cashewnuts - 6 nos, broken into pieces
Ghee - 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 3 tbsp
Water - 2 1/2 cups
Method
Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds and split green gram. Allow it to splutter.
Now add curry leaves, cashewnuts, onions, green chillies and ginger. Saute it till the onion turn pinkish.Then add tumeric powder and saute for 5 seconds.
Add two and half cups of water and salt and wait till it reaches boiling point. WHICHEVER CUP YOU ARE USING TO MEASURE RAVA, USE THE SAME CUP FOR MEASURING TEH WATER TOO. IT IS GOOD TO GET A SET OF STANDARD MEASUREMENT CUPS FROM ANY SUPERMARKET.
Once the water starts boiling, add the semolina. IF YOU DON'T HAVE ROASTED SEMOLINA, THEN DRY ROAST IT BEFORE PREPARING UPMA. ROASTED UPMA REDUCES THE RISK LUMP FORMATION WHILE ADDING THE RAVA INTO THE BOILING WATER.
Once semolina absorbs the water fully, add ghee and mix it finely. Close the kadai with lid and cook under low flame for 4-5 mins.
Yummy upma ready...
Have it with chutney or with sambhar.