Simply Cooking and Health: Scrambled semolina

Scrambled semolina

Semolina

Semolina (suji in Hindi) made from durum wheat is yellow in color. The semolina made from softer types of wheat will be white in color. Couscous is made from 2 parts of durum wheat semolina mixed with 1 part of durum flour (finely ground semolina).

If semolina (or any other flour for that matter) is stored for a long time it will show signs of weevils. So you should use up the semolina as soon as possible. Freeze the semolina to be weevil free or add a bay leaf to the canister in which you store semolina.

Recipe summary
For
Scrambled semolina
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

1. First you need to roast semolina. Put the semolina in a microwaveable dish and put it in the microwave uncovered on high for 2 minutes. or roast in a wok on slow fire. Roasted semolina .is available. It will be weevil free.

Semolina

2.Slice 150 gram eggplant into ½ inch cubes and put them in a bowl of water. This will prevent discoloration of the eggplant. Drain the eggplant pieces and dry them and put in another bowl. ½ inch cubes and put into a bowl . Add ½ tsp of chili powder, ½ teaspoon of cumin powder, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper powder.

Fried potato and eggplant

3. Slice 150 gram potatoes also into ½ inch cubes and put into a bowl. Add ½ tsp of chili powder, ½ teaspoon of cumin powder, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper powder.

4.Deep fry the eggplant and potato slices separately in medium heat. Potato will take about 15 to 20 minute and eggplant will take about 10 to 15 minutes.
Retain the remaining oil. Potato should turn into golden brown color. Eggplant should be dark brown in color.
If you like you can fry onion and add to this.

Scrambled semolina

5. In a large saucepan or wok add 1 table spoon of oil and fry mustard seeds till they splutter. Then add 1 dry red chili broken into small pieces, 1 onion chopped fine fry for 3 minutes and add 5 curry leaves chopped and 3 cloves garlic diced into small pieces and fry for about 7 minutes in low heat.

6. Now add 4 cups water and 1 teaspoon of salt and bring to the boil. When the water reaches boiling point, add semolina and stir vigorously for about 2 minutes. I use a pair of large chop sticks. But any kind of spoon or ladle will do. By this time the semolina would have absorbed all the water. If your semolina looks little watery, don’t worry. Let the semolina rest in the same pan for about 10 minutes. During this time semolina will continue to absorb the water and expand. It will also become dry in consistency. Sometimes the water we boiled may not be enough to scramble all the semolina, then you can add some boiled water and stir.

7. Now add fried potatoes and eggplant , onion and mix well to distribute all the ingredients equally.
Now the semolina scrambled can be served as a complete meal. If you find it a bit dry you can eat with any gravy or of course you can try my curry sauce. It will be a great accompaniment.

This is a traditional South Indian breakfast called upma or upuma. I have added fried potato and eggplant to the traditional dish of semolina

Scrambled semolina is ready.

Recipe follows in detail with pictures.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
Main
2 cups semolina
150 gram eggplant sliced into half inch cubes
150 gram potatoes into half inch cubes
Others
1 onion chopped fine
1 dry red chili broken into small pieces
5 curry leaves chopped
3 cloves garlic diced into small pieces
2 teaspoon salt
4 cups water
½ cup vegetable oil of your choice
Spices
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon of chili powder
½ teaspoon of cumin powder
½ teaspoon of black pepper powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder

The amount of water to add is critical in making the recipe. The amount of water given in the instruction on the packet is important. The correct consistency will depend on the amount of water you add. Usually you will add 2 cups of water for every cup of semolina.

Preparation

Check semolina for weevils. Discard if you find them.

First you need to roast semolina. This you can do it in a wok or microwave oven. Put the semolina in a microwaveable dish and put it in the microwave uncovered on high for 2 minutes. I usually buy roasted semolina because it has relatively longer shelf life than un roasted semolina. It will be weevil free.

Slice eggplant into ½ inch cubes and put them in a bowl of water. Optionally you add ½ a teaspoon of salt to the bowl. This will prevent discoloration of the eggplant.

Drain the eggplant pieces and dry them and put in another bowl. Add marinating ingredients Add ½ tsp of chili powder, ½ teaspoon of cumin powder, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper powder. Adjust the spices for your taste.

Marinating eggplant

Slice the potatoes also into ½ inch cubes and put into a bowl. Add ½ tsp of chili powder, ½ teaspoon of cumin powder, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper powder. Adjust the spices for your taste. If you don"t fry immediately it will become a little watery. Still you can use the marinated water when you fry. Then you can keep in the refrigerator for a while and take before you fry. I fry immediately.

Marinating potato

Method
Deep fry the eggplant and potato slices separately in medium heat. Potato will take about 15 to 20 minutes and Frying eggplant will take about 10 to 15 minutes.

Frying potato

Retain the remaining oil. Potato should turn into golden brown color. Eggplant should be dark brown in color.

Fried potato and eggplant

If you like you can fry onion and add to this.

Frying onion

In a large saucepan or wok add 1 table spoon of oil and fry mustard seeds till they splutter. Then add dry chili pieces, fry for 1 minute. Add onion fry for 3 minutes and curry leaves and garlic and fry for about 7 minutes in low heat.

Frying mustard, onion and dry chili

Frying ingredients is ready for the addition of water.

Same as previous picture. The flash is creating funny effect.

Now add the water and 1 teaspoon of salt and bring to the boil. When the water reaches boiling point, add semolina and stir vigorously for about 2 minutes. I use a pair of large chop sticks. But any kind of spoon or ladle will do. By this time the semolina would have absorbed all the water. If your semolina looks little watery, don’t worry. Let the semolina rest in the same pan for about 10 minutes. During this time semolina will continue to absorb the water and expand. It will also become dry in consistency. Sometimes the water we boiled may not be enough to scramble all the semolina, then you can add some boiled water and stir.

Now add fried potatoes and eggplant , onion and mix well to distribute all the ingredients equally.

Now the semolina scrambled can be served as a complete meal. If you find it a bit dry you can eat with any gravy or of course you can try my curry sauce. It will be a great accompaniment.
This is a traditional South Indian breakfast called upma or upuma. I have added fried potato and eggplant to the traditional dish of semolina. Inthe following plate we serve scrambled with fried eggplant and potato separately.