Ragi Upma

Nutritious Ragi Rawa Upma. Made in the usual way you make Upma , just cooked the upma in a pressure cooker for 1 whistle and then added steamed mixed vegetables. Tastes delicious and healthy too.

1 cup coarse Ragi sooji/ rawa ( sooji)
 2 tbsp oil
 1 tbsp ghee
 1/4 tsp mustard seeds ( rai)
 urad daal
pinch of asafoetida
 salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
 2 dry red chillies
1 green chilli slit
 5-6 curry leaves
 1 tsp grated ginger ( optional)
 cashews broken
 dessicated / shredded fresh coconut
 corriander leaves

Heat oil in a heavy bottom wok / kadhai. When the oil is hot add urad dal, mustard, asafoetida, curry leaves, cashews. Fry till cashews turn a pink colour.
Remove and keep aside. In the hot oil add red and green chillies, grated ginger and ragi sooji. Roast on a slow flame till the sooji turns it gives off a roasted aroma.
Meanwhile boil 1 1/2 cups water.Gently add the hot water to the roasted sooji. Add the salt, sugar. Stir , cover and cook on a low flame.Stir in the ghee.
Garnish with corriander & fresh coconut. Add fried cashews and serve.

Muthiya

We learnt to eat some otherwise bland vegetables like Bottle Gourd , Sponge Gourd . These Muthiyas are a mainstay in a Gujarati Thali. They can be eaten steamed with a sesame tempering , or shallow fried in a frying pan , deep fried to a crispness or  used in a rich vegetable gravy. Steamed Muthiya rolls can be stored in the fridge for upto 3-4 days or keep well in the freezer for longer. They need to be brought o room temperature before cooking

Ingredients
2 cups Bottle Gourd / Lauki grated.
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
1 cup sooji/ semolina (rava)
1/2 cup besan (bengal gram flour)
2 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/2 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)
2 pinches of soda bi-carb
1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)
salt to taste
3 1/4 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
1 tsp sesame seeds (til)
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)

Squeeze out excess water from the grated bottle gourd and onions and keep the liquid aside to knead the dough if required.
Combine the bottle gourd, onions, whole wheat flour, semolina, besan, ginger-green chilli paste, turmeric powder, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, lemon juice, sugar, coriander, soda bi-carb, asafoetida, salt and 1 tsp of oil in a bowl, mix well and knead into a soft dough adding water if required (use th
Apply ¼ tsp of oil on your hands and divide the mixture into 4 equal portions.
Shape each portion into a cylindrical roll approximately 150 mm. (6") length and 25 mm. (1") in diameter.
Arrange the rolls on a greased sieve and steam in a steamer for 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove, cool slightly and cut into 12 mm. (½”) slices and keep aside.
For the tempering, heat the remaining 2 tsp of oil in a non-stick kadhai and add the mustard seeds.
When the seeds crackle, add the sesame seeds and asafoetida and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.
Add the muthia pieces and sauté on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes or till they turn light brown in colour and crisp.
Serve immediately with coriander leaves.

Steamed Muthiya Rolls