Instant Sooji / Rava Upma Mix (Ready-To-Cook Semolina Upma)

Perfectly ready-to-cook mixture to make south Indian Rava Upma instantly which is perfect for bachelors, students and even when there is no mood to cook.

Ready to cook dishes are always a super choice when someone is in hurry or even not in a mood to cook elaborately or there is a sudden hunger pangs. Although these days the super markets are flooded with these kind of INSTANT mixes from various food companies, still those are loaded with preservatives. Instead of that, if one can make such kind of mix at home using some easily available ingredients and that too can keep them perfectly to use later, then those mix could be a great help. Just mix or boil and enjoy the simple, easy and delicious food ! 

Today's recipe is something like that Ready-To-Make. And it is Instant Sooji Upma Mix. Particularly for bachelors, college students or even for us those don't have mood to cook or nothing at home to cook or in busy morning, these are quite perfect option. Plus thing here is, once the mix is ready then one can make in gas stove, microwave and even in a mug.

The Ingredients for the Instant Sooji Upma Mix :

• Semolina / sooji / rava is the main ingredient. Among all the varieties of semolina, I have used Bombay rava which gives a best texture to the upma. Also some roasted sooji can be used here. And then there is no need of roasting the semolina after adding to the tempering. 
• For slight crunchiness urad dal, chana dal, cashew, peanuts are used. I have not used urad dal and peanuts here.
• For tempering, cumin seeds, mustard seeds along with green chili and curry leaves are opted here.
• For a lovely color of the upma one can use turmeric powder, but is optional.
• Lemon juice is added to give a slight tangy taste to the upma, still can be omitted. 
• Salt one can add to the mix or can be skipped. But while preparing the upma, salt has to be added then to the boiling water. 
• Oil is used here to fry everything. Ghee can be used if want. I have used oil to keep it vegan completely.

How to prepare this Ready to make Upma Mix ?

Over low-medium heat, first the chana dal, peanuts, cashew and urad dal are roasted till light brown in color. Then for the tempering part cumin seeds, mustard seeds along with green chili, curry leaves are added and saute till crisp. Here one thing to keep in mind that there should not be any moisture in the green chilies and curry leaves. Then turmeric powder and semolina is added and roasted over low heat till raw smell of the sooji / semolina goes away and its color changes slightly. Finally lemon juice is mixed up and the whole mixture is allowed to cool down completely. The mixture is then kept in any air-tight container or zip lock bag and finally stored in refrigerator to use whenever needed.

Preparing Upma using this Instant mix 👆 :

These type of ready-to-make mix are super handy and perfect to make a dish instantly whenever needed. For breakfast / snack this upma mix is a great option. Just add some boiling water and upma is ready to go. The water to upma mix ratio is 2 : 1 to get a grainy texture in the upma. Else use 2.5 : 1 ratio, 3:1 ratio. I prefer to use 2 :1 ratio for my upma.

• In stove top : Boil 2 cup of water in a pan, add salt if the upma mix has no salt in it, then add 1 cup of the Instant upma mix, give a nice stir and allow to cook by covering the pan for 1-2 minutes. Then fluff and serve.
• In mug : Fill upma mix till half of the cup and the pour boiling water till full. Cover and keep aside for 1-2 minutes. It is ready to serve.
• In microwave : Take 1/2 cup of water and 1/4 cup of instant upma mix in a microwave safe container, mix well. Microwave for 2-3 minutes. Fluff and serve.

Few vegetables like carrots, cabbage, beans, frozen corn, green peas etc can be added to make a vegetable upma using this instant mix. Just all the vegetables here have to be either shredded or grated well. Add to the water before boiling and then add instant upma mix. This upma mix can be kept at room temperature too, but I will recommend to keep in refrigerator for few long time either in zip log bag / air-tight container. 

Some semolina based recipes from the blog :

Stuffed Savory Paniyaram (INSTANT appe) 

Aamras Tart  

Instant Veggie Quinoa Mini Idli  

Egg-free Basbousa | Egg-free Semolina Cake   

The event related to this post :

Well this time our fortnight foodie group named as Healthy Wellthy Cuisines is decided to select 85th theme : 'Time for Semolina' and is suggested by Swaty. I love her recent baked dish which is 4 mug cakes varieties, do check her many more culinary expertise. Well coming back to theme, she suggested to make any dishes using semolina aka sooji / rava, So I have come up with this Instant Sooji / Rava Upma Mix.  Here are some similar recipes shared by our Healthy Wealthy Group members as Dry Fruit and Seeds Kesari Bhat by Preethi Prasad, Cheesy Sooji Semolina Bites by Swaty, Sooji Upma by Shalu di, Eggless Sooji/Rava Malai Cake by Sujata Roy, Ragi Rava Dosa with Dill Leaves by Vanitha di.

: Recipe Card :

Instant Sooji / Rava Upma Mix (Ready-To-Cook Semolina Upma)

Author: Sasmita

Prep time: 5 MCook time: 15 MTotal time: 20 M

Perfectly ready-to-cook mixture to make south Indian Rava Upma instantly which is perfect for bachelors, students and even when there is no mood to cook.

Ingredients:

• Semolina 1 cup
• Chana dal (split bengal gram) 1 tbsp
• Cashew 5-6 no.
• Mustard seed 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seed 1/2 tsp
• Green chili (chopped) 1-2 no.
• Curry leaf 1 sprig
• Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
• lemon juice 1.5 tsp
• Salt 1 tsp
• Oil 2 tbsp

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a pan.
2. Add chana dal, cashew and fry till light brown in color.
3. Put in mustard seeds, cumin seeds and allow to splutter.
4. Next add chopped green chilies, curry leaves and again saute till crisp (no moisture should be there).
5. Add turmeric powder and mix well.
6. Finally add semolina / sooji and salt.
7. Mix well first and then continue to roast over low heat for 10-12 minutes or till raw smell of the sooji goes away and its color changes slightly.
8. Then add lemon juice and give a quick mix.
9. Turn off heat and allow the upma mix to cool down completely.
10. Store this mix in any air-tight container or zip lock bag in refrigerator to use later !

Notes:

Urad dal (Black gram) (around 1 tsp) can be added along with chana dal. I have not added. Make sure not to fry the semolina over high heat, that results into a burnt semolina / rava. Adjust the chilies as per spicy desired. Easily these can be refrigerated in an airtight container / zip lock bag for 2-3 months. Few peanuts can be added along with cashew if want.

Semolina, Sooji, Vegan food, Instant Food

Ready to make mixture, Vegan Snack, Upma, Rava Upma, Breakfast, Snack

South Indian

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Instant Bread Vada (baked version)

super simple & crispy vada using some fresh / leftover bread in oven.

Vada / Bara / Vadai, a crispy deep fried snacks from Indian subcontinent is usually prepared from the urad dal batter. This is a popular South Indian breakfast recipe served along side with idli and sambar. And I am a big south Indian food lover particularly idli, vada, dosa with some piping hot sambar ; a pure bliss for me ! Today I have come up with a vada snack but without any lentil. Instead of that I have used some leftover breads, hence the name is Instant Baked Bread Vada.

What is Instant here ?

Instant means there is no soaking, even no grinding to make a batter.

Baked Vada !!

yes, these vadas I have baked instead of deep frying. One can deep fry these bread vada still if wants. In baking method, just place the vadas in a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Brush with little oil and bake in a preheated oven till light brownish in color.

What goes into these bread vada ?

Well unusual from the authentic south Indian vada, these are prepared using either fresh / some leftover bread. Bread can be brown or white bread. I have used my homemade bread here, do check if you want to make at home, it is quite easy just have to follow some tips and tricks.

Next some rice flour is used to get crisp texture in the vada here. Curd / dahi acts as a binding agent, so need of any water here to make the dough. Apart from these some finely chopped cabbage, grated carrots, few chopped mint & coriander leaves, cumin seeds, finely chopped onions, grated ginger, finely chopped green chilies, few curry leaves are used. Any other choice-able veggie also can be used here, even without any veggie one can make these bread vadas. Oil is used for greasing hand while shaping the vada and also for brushing the vadas before baking.

How to make the vadas ?

First the breads are teared into small pieces by hand. One can use food processor to crumble too. Then in a mixing bowl everything are mixed up except oil. It will result into a smooth and soft dough. If the dough is not forming, then one can add little more curd. If the dough is little runny, do add more rice flour or 1-2 slices of bread by tearing. Then a small portion of dough is flattened by the greased hand and shaped like a medu vada. Those vadas are then placed over a baking tray lined with parchment paper and allowed to bake in a preheated over till light brown in color. Baking time actually here depends upon the vada size and even the oven capacity.

Is it necessary to make hole in the center of the vada ?

No,it is not necessary. One can make like simple patties. Still I will say to make a hole so that it will cook faster from all the sides. Also this type shape is the authentic medu vada.

Serving suggestion :

These are perfectly crisp and delicious baked vadas. When craving for some south Indian foods instantly one can make these vadas without any soaking or grinding the batter. Along with a hot cup of tea or with some chutney, sauce these baked bread vada tastes so yum. These are indeed an easy and healthy snack recipe and that too INSTANT. Always serve these vadas immediately after baking to get much crisp texture.

The event related to this post :

Monday is here again and this time the Foodie Monday Blog Hop team has decided the 244th theme as 'Snacks Mania' which is suggested by Renu. She has an array of idlis using different millet. I have already bookmarked her Herb Roasted chickpeas to try soon. Well for the theme, I am here with this Instant Bread Vada in baked method.

Now let’s go through how to make baked version of Instant Bread Vada at home 👇

Video procedure of this "Instant Bread Vada (baked version)" :

: Recipe Card :

Instant Bread Vada (baked version)

Author: Sasmita

Prep time: 15 MCook time: 35 MTotal time: 50 M

super simple & crispy vada using some fresh / leftover bread in baking method.

Ingredients:

• Bread slice 5-6 no.
• Rice flour 3-4 tbsp
• Curd 3 tbsp + more for dough
• Cabbage (finely chopped) 4 tbsp
• Carrot (grated) 2 tbsp
• Onion (finely chopped) 2 tbsp
• Green chili (finely chopped) 3-4 no.
• Ginger (grated) 1 tsp
• Curry leaf 1 sprig
• Mint leaf (chopped) 1 tbsp
• Coriander leaf (chopped) 1 tbsp
• Cumin seed 1/2 tsp
• Salt as needed
• Oil as needed

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven at 200 deg C.
2. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and keep aside.
3. First tear all the bread slices into small pieces by hand or using a food processor.
4. Place all those pieces in a mixing bowl.
5. Add all the ingredients except oil and curd.
6. Give a mix and then add curd.
7. Mix again very well and make a smooth, soft dough.
8. Grease hands with oil and take a small portion (lemon size) of dough.
9. Place over the baking tray, flatten a bit and then make a hole in the center to get a medu vada look.
10. Similarly make from rest dough and place over the tray keeping gap in between.
11. Brush each vada with oil and bake for 30-35 minutes or until light brown from both sides, flipping in between.
12. Serve immediately these crisped bread vada with any sauces, chutneys or with a cup of tea !

Notes:

Add any other vegetables of choice or one can make without any vegetables here. Add more curd little by little if a smooth dough is not forming easily. Adjust green chilies as per the spice desires. No water is needed, curd is enough to make the dough. Any fresh / left over bread is fit for these bread vada.

https://www.firsttimercook.com/2020/04/instant-bread-vada-baked-version.html

Breakfast, Snack, south indian snack, baked snack

instant bread vadai, instant vada, vada, vadai, baked bread vada, Baked snack, Eggless snack

South Indian

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