Rice rava upma (Akki tari uppittu)

One of my reader Vanishree sent me this recipe few months back. I forgot to try this for a long time. When I was checking my mails few days back, I saw this recipe and thought of giving it a try immediately.
As most of us know, upma is usually prepared with wheat rava/sooji. Akki tari is the Kannada name for rice rava. I had read many recipes with akki tari, but for the first time heard about akki tari uppittu. Vanishree had sent 2 variations, one was simple upma with peas(in the following recipe, exclude sambar powder and tamarind to get simple upma) and second was with sambar powder. I tried the sambar powder version because I thought it would be more tasty.
See Sailu’s version of this upma.
Ingredients:
2 cups akki tari(rice rava)
2 tbl spn grated coconut(fresh or frozen)
1/4 cup green peas or dehusked tender field beansavare kalu/hidakavare bele)
1/2 cup chopped onion (optional)
1-2 green chillies
1/2†grated or chopped ginger
1/2 tea spoon mustard seeds
2 red (dry)chillies
1 tea spn urad daal
2 tea spns chana daal
4-5 curry leaves
1 tbl spn cashew nuts
½ tea spn sambar powder(optional)
1/4 tea spn tamarind extract (if using normal tamarind, extract thick juice of 2-3 pieces)
A pinch of asafoetida(optional)
Oil/ghee
2-3 strands coriander leaves(optional)
Salt
Method:
Heat oil ghee add mustard,when it starts popping, add red chillies, urad daal, chana daal,cashew nuts and curry leaves. Now add onion, chopped ginger and green chillies. Fry till onions turn slightly brownish. Add green peas, tamarind, rice rava and fry for 5-6 minutes or till the rava is well roasted. Then add boiling water(around 4 cups) and salt. Stir well and close the lid, cook on a low flame.
Rice rava takes more time to get cooked. Once it is cooked add grated coconut and cut coriander leaves.
Serves : 3-4
Preparation time : 20mins
PS: For idli rava – Wash and soak rice for 1/2 an hour. Drain and dry in shade by spreading over a cloth. Mill or pound till fine rava consistency. It is available in market as “rice rava” or “idli rava“.