Vari Upma

Yesterday was Ashadi Ekadashi - 1 of the few occasions hubby & me fast (upaas). We eat a limited variety of items - fruits, root veggies, sabudana, vari (samo), nuts etc. There is a saying in Marathi - Ekadashi, Duppat Khashi (Eat double on Ekadashi). I have to say, I have done that in the past. But this time I decided to restrict myself to cooking only 2 items - so we had Sabudana Khichadi for our AM faraal and this Vari Upma in the PM.

Vari Upma is a good one-pot meal/faraal item. Here's how I made it:

1 cup vari/samo (available in Indian stores)
3 cups hot boiling water
1.5 to 2 cup veggies - I used potatoes, bottle gourd (dudhi), red pumpkin (lal bhopla) and yam (suran)
2 tbsp ghee
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 cloves
1 small stick of cinnamon (abt 1 inch long)
2 green chillies - chopped
2 dry red chillies - broken
2 tsp salt or to taste
2 tsp jaggery (gul)
1/2 tsp cumin pwd
pinch of clove pwd
pinch of cinnamon pwd
1/4 tsp red chilli pwd
1/4 cup roasted peanut pwd
fresh shredded coconut and chopped cilantro for garnish

Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a big wok and lightly saute the veggies. Drain & keep aside

Add the other tbsp of ghee. To this add the cumin seeds, whole cloves, cinnamon stick and the chillies. Fry till fragrant.

Add the vari. Roast on medium heat for about 5 mins till it get lightly browned.

Add the sauteed veggies. Gently add the boiling water. Add the seasonings (from salt to chilli pwd in the above list). Mix well. Cover and cook on medium heat for 10-15 mins, stirring in between.

Just before taking off the heat, add the peanut pwd, coconut and cilantro. Mix well. Keep covered for 5 mins afer taking off heat.

Fluff gently and serve hot with a wedge of lemon or lime.