“Saffron Upma” occurred to me while I was having Polenta in Cape Town last week. Historically polenta has been a peasant food and I draw a lot of parallel to our desi Upma. When something unusual like this starts to brew in my mind, I try to find a global and comfort fit by re calling the taste pillars of at least 2-dozen friends of mine across the globe from various origins and cultures. Try this and it could easily go in to your standard breakfast or an appetizer ☺
Saffron Upma (Semolina) with Spanish Salsa
1 cup semolina (Rava)
3 cups water
2 tablespoon chopped onion
7-10 strands saffron depending on quality
½ teaspoon crushed garlic
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon cooking oil
In deep pan, add oil onion and garlic over medium heat and let it sweat. Add water and saffron and bring it to boil and simmer it for 2-3 minutes. Add semolina over low heat and keep stirring it until it reaches a sticky consistency and then turn off the heat. Serve it with the Spanish salsa as shown or any which ways you feel it is presentable ☺
Spanish Salsa
3 tablespoon of onion
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon chopped green bell pepper
3 tablespoon deseeded and chopped firm tomatoes
2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt to taste
In a shallow thick-bottomed pan, add the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the garlic till fragrant and soft. Add the onions and sweat it it for a few seconds and then add bell pepper and tomatoes and then immediately add the paprika and parsley and sauté for few seconds in very low heat, add the lemon juice and salt and take it out from the heat and immediately transfer it to a bowl.
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