Special Rice Upma

Ingredients

To pulse:

• 1.5 cups rice
• 2 tbsp toor dal
• 1 dried red chili
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp black pepper

To temper:

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp urad dal
• 1 tsp chana dal
• 3 dried red chilies (broken)
• ¼ tsp asafoetida
• ½ cup grated coconut (thawed if frozen)
• 15 curry leaves, divided

For the upma:

• 4.5 cups water
• 1.5 tsp salt (or to taste)

Preparation

1. Pulse the rice, toor dal, red chili, cumin seeds, and black pepper to a coarse, grainy texture. Do not grind into a fine flour. Use pulse mode and shake the jar after every 1–2 pulses to ensure even texture.
2. Heat a pan or kadai and add coconut oil. Once hot, add mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, broken red chilies, asafoetida, and about 10 curry leaves. Let the mustard seeds splutter and the dals turn light golden.
3. Add grated coconut and sauté for about 2 minutes.
4. Add 4 cups of water and salt. Bring to a rolling boil. (Adjust salt to taste.)
5. Gradually add the coarse rice mixture, stirring continuously as you add it to prevent lumps.
6. Mix well, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 3–4 minutes.
7. If needed, add the remaining water (up to ½ cup), depending on the type of rice used, and mix again.
8. Lower the heat, cover, and cook until the rice is fully done, about 10–12 minutes. (Cooking time may vary slightly based on the rice.)
9. Add the remaining curry leaves and optionally 1 tsp coconut oil. Cover and let it rest for 5 minutes to finish cooking evenly.
10. Mix well and serve.

(Authentic Royal)