Spiced Cream of Wheat

I think Italy’s answer to Uppama is polenta, and maybe that is why I find the European version equally comforting. Uppama is very common as a breakfast offering in south India, and I think its slightly mealy, porridge-like texture also lays out a great bed for many of this book’s curries. I especially love the layer that forms, sticks, and browns crispy-thin on the bottom of the pan after it steeps. As a child, I fought for this layer (and won), called kaandal in Tamil,