Breakfast
Vermicelli upma is a house favourite, and when we discovered a ragi version, it came more frequent to the table each week. Ragi is full of calcium and Vitamin D and a healthy whole grain in place of a semolina vermicelli. Ragi is rich in fibre minerals and amino acids and has more polyphenols than other grains like rice, wheat, and corn, thereby helping control blood sugar levels. It is beneficial for bone strengthening as well.
The making of this upma is pretty straightforward with a basic tempering and cooking with a bit of water to soften the vermicelli. You can add more veggies such as carrots, spring onions, cauliflower, finely shredded cabbage – pretty much whatever takes your fancy.
Ragi vermicelli I use is: here
The Recipe
Serves 2
Ingredients
- ½ cup ragi vermicelli
- 1-2 tsp vegetable oil or coconut oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 5-7 curry leaves
- 1 whole green chili, slit in half
- pinch of hing
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ onion, finely chopped
- ¼ green capsicum, finely chopped
Instructions
- In a deep pan or pot, heat the oil
- Add the mustard seeds and wait for it to start to sizzle
- Then add the curry leaves, hing and green chili and allow the curry leaves to crisp up
- Then add the onions and capsicum and sauté for a few minutes
- Then add the vermicelli, stir and add just enough water to cover the vermicelli
- Leave the pan alone on medium heat for 5-8 minutes
- The water should soak into the vermicelli and get cooked through
- Fluff it up gently with a fork and turn off the heat
- If water remains, gently increase the heat and stir to cook off remaining water
