Taige Shukla
By Taige Shukla
Instagram: @whatsthe_chai
Hi Saathee family! It feels like Spring is here. This month I’m bringing you a super easy recipe that will always hit the spot, whether it’s for a meal or a quick snack, Sev Upma is a great go-to, even for the pickiest of eaters. A light and mild dish perfect for the warmer months ahead that you can easily make your own with your choice of veggies. I tried sev upma for the very first time a few months ago while in India staying with our masi (Ila Masi)! I’ve had upma (typically made with rava) plenty of times, but I found that I enjoyed the sev upma so much more, so naturally I had to ask Ila Masi for her recipe. She sent her usual ingredients list and even a video of her making it! With that and what I’ve typically put in upma in the past, we were able to create this quick and easy recipe. Check out the “How-To” video on Instagram @whatsthe_chai. Special thanks to: Ila Joshi (Ila Masi)
Servings: About 2 -4
Prep & Cook Time: 10 – 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup Sev (wheat vermicelli) (prefer roasted)
1 ½ cups water
1 small onion (finely chopped)
1 tbsp Urad dal (split black gram)
1 small green chili (finely chopped) or 1 tsp
1 inch piece of ginger (minced) or 1 tsp
10-12 curry leaves (1 sprig)
1 tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp hing (Asafoetida)
½ tsp sugar
2 tbsp ghee or oil
Juice of 1-2 lemons
Salt to taste
½- 1 cup of frozen or mixed veggies
10-12 cashews (halved)
Cilantro (1/2- 1 cup finely chopped)
Directions
Prep your ingredients. If the sev (vermicelli) is not roasted, roast it until it becomes lightly brown and crisp, do not let it burn. Set aside. Chop and mince the onion, green chili, ginger & cilantro and set aside until ready to use. If including frozen vegetables, defrost about a cup-full before use. If including fresh vegetables, ensure all are chopped and prepped; some of our favorites to include are corn, bell pepper, carrot, green beans, and/or peas.
Start by heating ghee or vegetable oil in a pan on medium heat, add in the mustard seeds and cook until crackling. Add cumin seeds, urad dal and hing, sauté until dal is golden, then stir in the cashews and let fry until lightly browned.
Now add in onions and sauté. Once translucent stir in green chili, ginger, mixed vegetables, and curry leaves. Sauté for a few more seconds, or until veggies are slightly softened, then stir in 1 ½ cups water, sugar, and salt.
Once the water comes to a boil, place heat on low and add in the sev (vermicelli). Stir until well combined and cover for about 2 mins or until the water has completely soaked into the sev, the texture should be similar to al dente noodles.
Finally, turn off the heat, stir in lemon juice and top with cilantro. Feel free to add extra salt, chilli or lemon to taste. Personally I love extra lemon. Now your Sev Upma is ready to serve!
