Heat up a nonstick pan on low-medium heat.

Add rava to a nonstick pan and dry roast until it is fragrant and toasty. Make sure you don't brown the rava. This should take a few minutes. Remove suji from the pan and set aside.

Chop the onions, ginger, and cashews. Slice green chilies. Rinse frozen peas under warm water, drain, and set aside. Set aside curry leaves, chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, and hing.

Heat up a pan on medium heat. Once hot, add oil, followed by mustard seeds (rye). Saute for about 30 seconds.

Add chana dal and urad dal. Saute for another 30 seconds.

Add asafoetida (hing). Saute for 30 seconds.

Now add ginger, cashews, and curry leaves. Saute for a minute.

Add onions and salt. Saute for 3 minutes or so until the onions are translucent. Do not brown the onions, we simply want them to be translucent.

Add green peas. Saute for a minute.

Now add water and salt.

Cover and simmer on medium heat for 4-5 minutes.

The water should come to a rolling boil.

Now add rava/suji a little at a time and stir at the same time. Doing so will prevent any lumps.

This is what you'll have once the rava/suji has been incorporated with the water. It'll look smooth and creamy.

Cook the upma on low heat for a couple of minutes. Add fresh cilantro and lemon juice. Adjust salt. Mix well. You'll notice the upma will become more crumbly as the moisture gets absorbed.