April 17, 2016

Cauliflower Upma

All of y’all will agree that the best recipes as well as recipe ideas come from your mom. Nothing and I mean absolutely nothing in this world is better than mom’s cooking. But every now and then it is not your mom but her sister (WINKS!!!) who comes up with a cool new idea, which makes you think, “Why didn’t I think of that????” This deliciously tasty “CAULIFLOWER UPMA” is one such unique idea!!! It is packed full of fiber yet tasty and guaranteed to get your day off to a rollicking start!!!!

I consider myself the luckiest person in the world as far as food is concerned. The reason for this is simple. Both my parents are foodies and most importantly equally good cooks. I feel like mom made the best dishes I have ever tasted and dad taught me how to enjoy them to the fullest. But make no mistake!!! My dad is a terrific cook and can cook up a storm by himself. In fact my most fun times occurred on days when mom was out with her friends. This got daddy dearest into the kitchen and there was no stopping him then. (SORRY MOM!!! CHUCKLES!!!)

Y’All must have guessed by now the reasons for my love of food. So it is no surprise that I am still picking my mom’s brains for new recipes. But in every family there are quiet a few good cooks other than your mom. One such person in my family is my aunt.. She is a working mom and needs all the energy she can get to keep up with her busy lifestyle. Which is why she is always coming up with healthy and tasty versions of the traditional Indian recipes.

This “CAULIFLOWER UPMA” is her take on a traditional “UPMA” which is a popular Indian Breakfast snack. Upma is basically an Indian breakfast snack made by roasting semolina in clarified butter and then adding a bunch of vegetables and spices in the end. But it seems that all the semolina and clarified butter add up to a lot of calories. So she simply broke out this healthier version using cauliflower as a substitute. GENIUS!!!

Break down the cauliflower into individual florets and pulse them in a food processor till you get granules.

Now its time to make the upma. Melt ghee in a pan over medium heat. I just couldn’t resist making this with ghee. (I Had to cheat just a little bit.. RIGHT!!!) But y’all can use oil if you like…

Add mustard and cumin seeds and let them pop. Then add asafoetida, onions and green chili. Sauté till onions turns translucent. Now for the star of the show, the cauliflower granules. Drizzle a little water to help in the cooking process. Keep stirring till cauliflower is cooked. Add turmeric powder, green peas and corn. Cook for few 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and garnish with coriander. Finally add lemon juice for a little tang and your breakfast of champions is ready..

Enjoy the steaming hot upma with your morning cup of joe and please pray for my well-being since I did not tell my aunt that I stole her recipe. I hope I have buttered her enough in this post that she won’t yell at me. (LAUGHS!!!!)

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