What’s more challenging than waking up early morning for an early commute?
Making breakfast.
The dreadful, the doubtful, the super food.
When I was at my previous job, I was determined to make my own breakfast for the morning because,
- I wanted to maintain my weight.
- I wasn’t ready to give up oatmeal.
- I’m interesting like that. haha!
My usual breakfast menu consisted of apple oatmeal, dry fruits oatmeal, omelette on a toast, red rice Puttu(a South Indian breakfast made of ground rice) and this crunchy carrots and soft flattened red rice upma.
I didn’t add carrots then, that would have taken me more time to prepare.
Although the menu doesn’t seem Abracadabra, I was proud that I wasn’t relying on anybody. If you plan to follow this instant route, I strongly suggest you intake morning hot beverage and midday protein snacks.
Flattened red rice usually contains some husks and other impurities. Always pick and rinse them thoroughly in cold water. They are harder than flattened white rice. Hence, they take longer time to soak.
Now, a cereal-like instant breakfast can be achieved with flattened red rice by gently boiling them with enough milk and adding your favourite sweetener for taste.
That’s how I used to do as a kid but as you grow up you learn that sweet breakfasts are not that healthy!
Let’s get some savoury breakfast on and come back to rate it!
Crunchy carrots and soft flattened red rice upma
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Serving: 1 person
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup water boiled
1/2 cup flat red rice aval or poha
1/2 T sunflower oil
1/4 t black mustard seeds
1/4 t chana dal
few curry leaves
1 small red onion finely chopped
1 small green chilli seeds removed and minced
1 medium carrot diced small
1/4+1/8 tsp fine salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Sprinkle flat red rice in a small bowl, pour boiled water and let it sit for 5 to 7 minutes. Strain excess water and keep the bowl aside.
- To a heated Wok, add oil and mustard seeds. Let it splutter. Add chana dal, curry leaves, green chilli, onion and salt, one after another. Fry onion bits till they are soft and translucent.
- Add carrot and stir fry to tenderness. Smaller the diced carrot, lesser the cooking time will be.
- Add soaked and drained flat red rice, sprinkle salt and stir to mix. Let the upma cook while stir frying for 5 mins. Switch off stove and serve hot with roasted peanuts on top.
RECIPE NOTES
- Quantity of hot water should be enough to completely cover flat red rice in the bowl otherwise they will turn mushy.
- Adjust salt
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