Dalia Upma for Seed the Rise

Seed the rise #seedtherise is an fund raising initiative to support and give back to the Indian farmers, who work day in and day out irrespective of the harsh weather for us to get our daily meals on the table. If you are aware then you might have read about the poor condition of the Indian farmers in many states. The extreme and fluctuating weather conditions, the erratic demand in the market, the changing policies of the importing countries, Price cut and steep competition from other exporting countries are making their condition worse and in many states the distressed farmers are left with no choice but to commit suicide to maintain their dignity. The study says that on an average one farmer commits suicide every 30 minutes. 

In such circumstances Mahindra has come up with this noble initiative to help them overcome the odds. They plan to collect Rs.2 Crore from People and they will match the same amount. The money will go to 5 impactful projects  run by NGOS working towards improving the lives of the farmers and their families. 

Though wheat is our second most important food crop and compared to other crops in the country the land holding of wheat farmers are comparatively big still the price cut by other wheat exporting countries like Russia, Australia and Europe the export from India has fallen considerably. The weakening euro and a stronger rupee have both enlarged the spread of disparity. Following which after a bumper crop this season the Indian farmers are left with huge supply of wheat at their disposal. Right now India is World's second largest producer of Wheat and with such big surplus in hand the small farmers would find it difficult to gather enough money for the coming season. 

As part of the initiative I have decided to spread the word and do my bit by donating some amount to help them start afresh and sustain them when their crops fail. Please see this video and do your bit too. 

To share a recipe I have chosen wheat and here is my recipe of broken wheat or Dalia Upma. This complex carbohydrate is very high on fiber and manganese and with slow digestion rate it's an ideal food for people with diabetes or weight issues. 

I first ate this dish at my dance teacher Mrs. Murali's house whom we lovingly called Aunty. This incredibly talented dancer is also the mother of my class friend who now is a renowned Rabindra Sangeet Singer. I am yet to meet any other family who are as humble, talented, soft spoken,  and kind as they are. More often than not Aunty will invite us to their table and generously shared delicious Vegetarian Kerala food with us. This Dalia Upma was a staple for the success party that she will throw to all her students after the completion of her school's annual dance function. 

With a few twists here and there now it's a big part of our weekend breakfast.

Dalia Upma

(Serves 3 for breakfast)

Ingredients:

Dalia: 1 cup

Onion: 1 large

Vegetables: potato, carrot, beans, cauliflower, peas, corns etc: cut in thin sticks: 2 cups

Tomato: 1 big ripe

Curry leaves: 2 sprigs

Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp

Bengal gram or chana dal: 1 tsp

Asafetida or hing: 1/4 tsp

Dry red chilli: 2

Sambhar powder: 1 tbsp

Salt

White oil: 2 tbsp

Ghee: 1 tsp (optional please see notes)

Dry roasted Peanuts: handful (optional, I dint use)

Scraped coconut: 1/4 cup

Method:

First you need to wash and pressure cook the dalia with little salt. I wait for 1 whistle on slow flame and then release the steam by putting the cooker under cold running water. Or you can alternatively boil it on low with a tightly fitting lid. Whichever way you prefer make sure the dalia is not mushy. Once the Dalia is cooked as per your taste drain the water by placing it in a sieve.

Clean. peel and prepare veggies of your choice, keep t\them separate and cooking time varies and you do not want to end up with a mush of veggies.

Heat the oil and add the chana dal first. once it takes a golden hue add the mustard seeds, dry chili, curry leaves and asafoetida. Let it splutter a bit before adding the onion. Once the onion is little translucent add the potatoes, carrots and cauliflowers first, Sprinkle little salt and cover to make it soft. The peas, beans, corns etc will be added next and needs to be cooked with salt. When you are happy with the veggies add chopped tomato and mix. 

Add the sambhar powder when the raw smell of the tomato is gone. Mix evenly and also tip in the drained dalia. Mix and check the seasoning. Cover and let it absorb the flavours on very low heat for 3-4 minutes.Add the ghee if using and mix. 

Finally sprinkle the scraped fresh coconut and serve hot as it is or with any chutney of your choice.

A Homemakers Notes:

If you want to add roasted peanuts then roughly pound them and sprinkle at the end of the cooking process.

You can also add fried cashews in the same way or other roasted seeds and nuts to up the nutrient factors.