Heat the kadai again. Add vegetable oil (I use sunflower oil as it is mild and does not overpower the taste of the Upma).
Add mustard seeds and once they crackle, add channa dal and then green chilli slices.
Add the ginger, sauté for 30 seconds. Add shredded curry leaves.
Add onion slices, sauté, stirring occasionally, till the onions begin to browned (about 3 minutes). The onions should be well fried as raw onion reduces the flavour of the Upma.
Add tomatoes and capsicum, sauté for 1 minute.
Strain the sliced vegetables which you had earlier set to boil, and add to the tomato and capsicum.
Stir and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add water (you can use the water in which the vegetables were cooked earlier) and bring it to a boil on high heat.
Once it is on a rolling boil, reduce the flame and let it simmer till the vegetables are cooked and tender. If the carrot and potato are cooked, the rest are likely to have cooked through,
Add salt, stir.
Bring the water to a boil again, reduce the heat and then add the rava. Don't pour it all in, but let it flow slowly into the pan while you keep stirring briskly with one hand. Break any lumps that you see are forming.
The rava will cook very quickly and begin to solidify. Stir well till all the water is absorbed.
Add ghee, if using, and stir it in.
Transfer the Upma immediately to a serving bowl and garnish with fried cashew and with coriander leaves.
Serve with a tomato chutney or a green chutney or with curd