It’s been a long time since I last posted. Mainly because Hari was on holiday and I was only doing very basic food preparation. I had resolved to include a wide variety of rice in my cuisine this year. Accordingly, I had bought black and red rice. I was very keen to try a red rice upuma. I finally got down to it and it was an unqualified success. Very easy to prepare and super tasty.

Ingredients
1 cup red rice
2 cups water
1/2 tsp mustard seeds (sarson, kadugu)
1/2 tsp split black gram (urad dal, ulutham parupu)
A pinch of asafoetida (hing, perunkayam)
2 green chillies, chopped fine
1″ piece ginger, chopped fine
1 sprig curry leaves
1 cup shelled peas
1/2 cup carrots, chopped into small cubes
(Use any vegetables that take your fancy)
Salt to taste
Method
Roast the red rice for a couple of minutes
Set aside to cool
Transfer to a grinder and pulse a couple of times
You should get a coarse texture akin to semolina
Set aside
Heat a small wok and add mustard seeds
When they begin to splutter, add the split black gram and asafoetida
Roast till the black gram turns golden brown
Add ginger, curry leaves and green chillies
Roast for a minute more and turn off the flame
Transfer to a rice cooker
Add the red rice and vegetables
Add 2 cups of water
Add salt and mix well
Close the lid and cook
Delicious red rice upuma is ready
Serve hot with chutney, sambar or raita (I served with tomato raita)
Enjoy!