MY DAD AND HIS FAVOURITE MASALA UPMA.

Tried and tasted by Nivedita,

Hi All,
 

I would like to start the post with BIG THANKS to everyone.

And a very heartfelt thanks to Jagruti of  http://www.jcookingodyssey.com/, who is more than a friend, a sister and a great human being. She has a great blog with lot of vegetarian dishes. This post is because of her invitation to me to participate in her event. Thank you dear for inspiring me to start writing again. Even last year it was her event which made me to post a recipe. I know I should write and post regularly but somehow I am not getting time to do the same.

Who is that one person who is not alive but you miss him/her  so much that you would love to talk with if you get a chance? Have I gone crazy to ask this silly question? YES and NO. I am sure all of us have this feeling. There are many people in our life who depart from us for forever. My post is dedicated to that one person whom I always miss so much.  'Appaji' my father, who left us 15 years back and whom I could not talk, see or meet during his last days. I was 8 months pregnant with my first daughter and was living in UAE. Though I knew about his illness, but never imagined that his condition is bad. But when I came to know about it, doctor did not allow me to fly as government won't allow to fly at this stage. Then, he passed away. Those days still mobile phones were very new and not all could afford to buy. He was in coma before he left us. But for me he is not dead. He is in my words. He lives in my words. My only wish was to meet him once and to listen what he wanted to say me before he went. Everyone told me that  till the last minute before he stopped talking he was taking my name. And even after for many years he came into my dream either serving me food or having food with me.  My father and I shared this bond. He was a great cook. He enjoyed cooking. And his food tasted heaven. Family friends and relatives waited for a chance to taste the food prepared by him. He used to prepare  rice, sambhar, any vegetables, dosa, idly, chapati, Mirchi, girmit. You name it and he will make it for you. He always stayed away from us as his government job did not allow him to be with us. My mother, being a working woman, stayed back with us in for her job and studies. We always loved to go to his place during our summer holidays.

My father  was 6 feet tall, dark and lean man. He was a man of his words. Always polite, hardworking, caring and dedicated. Not even a single bad habit.  He was a great singer too. He was passionate about photography. He loved reading and was 100% Kannadiga. His handwriting was just like printed one.

His only weakness was he was  not very courageous person. He used to get scared of even a simple cough. May be this was the reason he did not fight his last breath.  What I did not like about him was he was not a decision maker. I wish he could have been a stronger person.  But I pity him for not enjoying his life fully. I wanted him to be there with us now to see our success and settled life. He was always worried about my brother and his future. Now how I wish I could see him enjoying  with  his grand children. He was fond of kids. He always clicked the photos of my friend's children. 

My memory with him starts from his coming home on weekends after traveling for many hours. My brother and I used to sleep off after  waiting  for him till late night. And in the morning he used to wake us up with Amara Chitra Katha story books in his hands. As I grew and started cooking on my own, I followed my father always. Whenever Dosa was prepared at home, it was me who used to make for everyone but at the end he always made me sit and make dosas for me and give. Round dosa, crispy dosa, triangle dosa, cap dosa... Ahh! I still have that taste in my mouth. This is the most closest memory about my dad and me. He always ironed my uniform and kept ready. Whenever he came early from the office, he used to prepare some or the other snacks and wait for us.

And one more what I always will remember is he introduced us to the music. From devotional songs to Gazals, all Kannada folk songs  till the current movie hits. He had huge collection of tapes. Being an officer in Information and Publicity department, he was always on tour. Most of the media people, journalists, radio artists always visited our house. His control over Kannada and English language was very good. Even I wanted to do journalism but don't know why he did not allow me to do.  
Most of my recipes in my blog are his favorite foods. As he loved our North Karnataka food very much. 
He happily ate Jowar roti everyday.  Jowar roti upma, Thaali peeth, If nothing with roti, he loved having dal roti and his the most favorite evening snack girmitt or this  churmari with bhaji,  jowar-vada. How can I forget this magic vegetable which was his favorite and he taught me to love this one Kaarchi-kaimini-bitter-gourd-sabji. 
And the list goes on. Please go through my North Karnataka recipe collection to know more about. 

 I will force myself to stop to write about him as the post may go lengthy. Coming to his favorite foods, he always loved any vegetarian food. Only once in a while he had eggs. He always loved upma. whenever he had to go early mornings for meetings or tour, he used to keep everything ready previous night itself. He will roast Semolina, keep all the required vegetables on a cutting board. Never disturbed my mom or me to wake up early and prepare it. But I always got up as early as 5 O'clock whenever he made upma. I loved his upma. I used to get up eat and again go to sleep after he left the house. 

He loved this masala upma very much. So here is the recipe of masala upma. I know it's very common and regular food but it was my dad's favorite so it is special for me. 

Ingredients:

Semolina or Suji or Bansi rawa - 1 cup(240ml)
(It serves 3 persons)
1.Oil - 1/4 cup
2.Mustard seeds - 1tsp
3.Jeera or Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
4.Urad dal - 2 tsp
5.Chana dal - 2 tsp
6.Curry leaves - 10-15, washed and chopped
7.Onion - 1 big, chopped finely
8.Green chilly - 2, chopped finely
9.Ginger - small piece, cleaned and chopped
10.Dry red chilly - 3 to 4 
11.Tomato - 1 big, De seeded and finely chopped
12.Tamarind juice - 1 tsp
13.Sugar - 1 tsp
14.Salt to taste
15.Pav Bhaji masala or Sambhar masala - 2 tsp ( The taste differs with each powder)
16.Red chilly powder - 1 tsp(skip if you don't like  the spicy taste)
17.Haldi or turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
18.Water - 3 cups or depends on the rawa.
19.Fresh Coriander  - handful and little for the garnishing
grated fresh coconut - 1 tbsp(optional) 
20.Ghee - 1 tsp for each serve.

Method:

Roast the rawa  till you get nice aroma. Take care not to burn it.
Keep it aside. 
Keep the water to boil.
Keep a thick bottomed pan or vessel on the gas stove. 
Add oil and allow it to be hot.
Add mustard seeds and wait till splutters and add urad and chana dal. Let the dals turn into golden color. 
Now goes the jeera, curry leaves and onion. Fry till onions are transparent.
Keep the flame low. 
Start adding the ingredients from NO.8 till No.17 slowly one by one, sauteing in between. 
Saute for a minute.
Add the hot water and allow it to boil for 30 seconds. Again keeping the flame on low, add the roasted rawa slowly and immediately start mixing it. Or else upma will have lumps which will taste very bad. 
now add the fresh coriander and close the lid and cook it for 3 to five minutes. Off the stove and wait for few minutes. Serve it on a plate with fresh coconut and coriander leaves. 

This simple but the most delicious upma prepared from my father made me wake up at 5 in the morning.
Miss you Appaji, you are always in my words and my talks.

These are some more recipes from other wonderful bloggers for father's day celebrations. Thank you friends. 
Jagruti's recipe who created this wonderful event : sugar free mango basil and cashew 
Sweet vermicelli with jaggery by Mina 
baingan kabartha roasted aubergine  by Nayana Kanabar. 
misti-doi by Sujata
Meat Masala Bharwan Baingan - TheYellowDaal - Mains or Sides
Ghari Rotli-Puran Poli - Mayuri's Jikoni - Mains
List is long. Please visit Jagruti's collection of 50 recipes for fathers's day for all the amazing 50 recipes. 
 
 
 

Keep Smiling,