Upsaaru Khara | Quick and healthy Karnataka recipe

Upsaaru Khara (ಉಪ್ಸಾರು ಖಾರಾ) | Uppessaru Khara | Uppu Saaru Khara Recipe

One of the best and quick to cook with minimal ingredients without compromising on taste – from Karnataka cuisine – rustic food - Upsaaru Khara with step-by-step pictures of making

Uppessaru – self- explanatory name, uppu means salt and essaru means boiling –here we boil dal as major ingredient only with salt – hence the name uppessaru.This dish does not require any tempering/seasoning, not any masala, coconut, tomatoes, onions, no cutting /chopping, it’s as simple as is.

Upsaaru / Uppu saaru khara recipe is a very authentic dish of Karnataka. We do prepare Upsaaru or uppessaru khara at least once in a month, at home - as this is a taste enhancer. Break the monotony of dal, gravy, so on..,

When I made Upsaaru khara this time, I wanted to share with you all, I got curious to see if anyone has posted this recipe already, to my surprise there is not a dish on this exact recipe, some have confused this with bassaru ( which is again a traditional dish of Karnataka). Each have their own tradition way to follow.

Upsaaru - is a very easy dish in fact just cook some dal with greens^* or available naati/ local vegetables ^# and mix with khara while eating. Uppsaru was actually most widely being prepared in kitchens of farmers or who work in fields or who work for about long hours and have limited access to ingredients and have less time to prepare food. This dish not only meets their limitations but also provides the nourishment they need for the day. They preserve this khara for many days and cook only Upsaaru almost everyday, with whatever fresh greens or vegetables they carry home from fields. Using different vegetables, dal, avarekai or greens renders different taste altogether to Uppu saaru khara recipe.

Henceforth, this dish can be prepared by working women who are juggling in the morning to prepare lunch, in a seemingly limited time but also provide good nutritious food they look forward to or bachelors who look forward to something simple, tasty (and filling) or best prepared after returning from office, to make a quick and healthy meal.

Upsaaru Khara is probably the only dish in which the taste that is the spiciness can be altered as per the taste of an individual. If given to children, add very less khara & khara can be adjusted from medium to high depending on one’s taste bud. What else do you want when it so easy to prepare, tasty, and not to forget its nutritious value.

Once khara is ready, this can be stored for about a month (with refrigerating) and Upsaaru Khara recipe can be prepared in just few mins and served with hot rice or ragi mudde and can be used to compliment any other dish like dosa, roti to name a few.

This is handy dish when you are very hungry on returning home and wanted to eat some spicy homemade food. Though Upsaaru is a simple dish to prepare, it's very tasty, you should try this to get the taste. It is apt for any season as the ingredients used in it are very versatile.

Upsaaru – can be made with different combinations

Some of them are :

Greens + toor dal
avarekai (hyacinth bean) + toor dal + greens
toor dal + green gram + any local vegetables (seeme badane/ chow-chow / chayote squash)

~ greens can be harive soppu, siru keerai or danttu