Puli Upma/ Podi Arisi Upma

Are you looking for a easy no fuss recipe for breakfast or dinner, then this Puli Arisi Upma is for you. It is very easy and gets ready in no time. Earlier I used to prepare arisi upma without puli/tamarind. But recently, my mother told me about this version with tamarind. All at home seem to like this version with tamarind better. It has become my go to dish and is definitely a saviour on days when I have no idly/dosa batter.

The main ingredient is for this is the broken rice. Broken rice is easily available in stores. If you cannot lay your hands on broken rice in the city you live, then just pulse your regular rice in the mixie until coarse rava consistency. Sieve it and use the rava. Do sieve it else, the upma will turn sticky and mushy.

What you’ll need

1. Broken Rice/Noi Arisi – 1 cup
2. Tamarind – small gooseberry size
3. Water – 2.5 cup
4. Green Chillies – 3 to 4, slit
5. Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp
6. Sambar Powder – 2 tsp (optional)
7. Jaggery – little (optional)
8. Asafoetida – ¼ tsp
9. Salt to taste

For tempering

1. Gingely Oil/Nalla Ennai – 2 tbsp
2. Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
3. Channa Dal/Kadala Paruppu – ½ tbsp
4. Urad Dal – ½ tbsp
5. Dried Red Chilly – 2, broken
6. Curry Leaves – 2 to 3 sprigs

Method

1. Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of water. Squeeze and extract the juice.
2. Heat a pressure pan or small pressure cooker, add oil, once it heats up, add the mustard seeds, once it starts spluttering, add the channa dal and urad dal and fry till the dals turn golden. Now add the red chillies, for couple of seconds then add the slit green chillies and curry leaves.
3. Next add the tamarind extract and add another 1.5 cup of water (totally 2.5 cups of water including the tamarind extract)
4. Add the asafoetida, Sambar powder, turmeric powder and salt to taste. Let this come to a boil.
5. Then add the washed broken rice/noi arisi, add little jaggery. Stir well. Taste the water at this point and check for salt if required.
6. Close the cooker lid and put on the weight. Cook for 3 whistles and then keep in low flame for 3 to 4 mins. Turn off heat.
7. Let the pressure subside naturally, open the cooker and fluff the upma well.
8. Serve hot. I like it with sugar. You can have it with coconut chutney or curd too.

Notes:

If you don't have broken rice, you can run the rice in the mixie till coarse rava consistency, sieve and it and keep aside the fine flour and use only the coarse rice rava.