Cauliflower and farina Uppma with Fenugreek Seeds

Farina is a granular meal made from hard, but not durum, wheat, cream of wheat brand sells three types: instant, quick-cooking and regular, while Malt-O-Meal and farina brands are only sold in the quick-cooking form. Malt-O-Meal is a pre-roasted grain, so it saves you the roasting time necessary to bring out a nutty flavor in the grain and helps make the finished dish light and fluffy.

 

Preparation and cooking time (after assembling ingredients): ½ hour

 

Ingredients

• Ghee or a mixture of  Light sesame oil and unsalted butter – 5 table spoons (75 ml) 

• 2 whole dried red chilies, halved and seeded

• Minced fresh ginger root – ½ table spoon (7 ml) 

• Cumin seeds – ½ table spoon (7 ml) 

• Fenugreek seeds – ½ table spoon (2 ml) 

• Sesame seeds – 2 table spoons (30 ml) 

• Curry leaves, preferably fresh – 10-12 

• 1 small cauliflower (3/4 -1 pouund/340-455 g) Trimmed, cored and cut into pieces roughly – 1 * ½ * ½ inch (2.5 * 1.5 * 1.5 cm)

• Turmeric – Scant ½ teaspoon (2 ml) 

• Ground coriander – 1 teaspoon (5 ml) 

• Malt-O-Meal brand farina – 1 cup (180 g) 

• Buttermilk mixed with – 2/3 cup (160 ml) 

• Hot water – 1 ½ cups (360 ml) 

• Salt – 1 ¼ teaspoons (6 ml) 

• Finely chopped fresh fenugreek or coriander – 2 table spoons (30 ml) 
 

Preaparation

1. Heat the ghee or oil-butter mixture in a 4-5-quart/liter casserole over moderately high heat. When it is hot but not smoking, add the chilies, ginger, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds, and fry until the fenugreek seeds darken slightly. Add the sesame seeds and fry until the fenugreek turns reddish-brown. Drop in the curry leaves, and a few seconds later add the turmeric and ground coriander, and cook, stirring frequently, until the cauliflower is almost fork-tender.

2. Add the pre-roasted farina and gently stir to coat the vegetable. Pour in the buttermilk-water mixture and salt and, stirring, bring to a boil over high heat, then cook for 1 minute. Cover, remove the pan from the heat, and set aside for 4 minutes so the grains can expand and absorb the liquid. Fluff with a spoon and sprinkle with the fresh herbs before serving.

Serves:
6
 

By Yamuna Devi Dasi