Upma is a quick South Indian breakfast of roasted semolina cooked with onions, vegetables and tempered spices. It is soft, filling and ready in about fifteen minutes. A comforting everyday dish, it is perfect for busy mornings or a light evening meal.
Why You Will Love This Rava Upma
- Ready in about 15 minutes with simple pantry ingredients
- Soft, fluffy and lump-free when made the right way
- Easy to add vegetables for a more nutritious breakfast
Ingredient Notes
Rava (semolina): Dry roast it until fragrant for the best texture. Mustard seeds, curry leaves, urad dal and chana dal: Make the classic tempering. Onion, green chilli and ginger: Add flavour. Vegetables and cashews: Optional additions for colour and crunch.
Tips for Lump-Free Upma
Add the rava slowly while stirring to avoid lumps. The water must be boiling hot. Cover and cook on low heat for a couple of minutes so the rava absorbs the water and turns fluffy.
Serving and Storage
Serve hot with coconut chutney, pickle or a squeeze of lemon. Upma is best fresh because it firms up as it cools. Sprinkle a little water and warm it gently if you have leftovers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I dry roast the rava?
Roasting the semolina until fragrant removes raw taste and keeps the grains separate, so the upma turns out fluffy and not sticky.
How do I avoid lumps in upma?
Pour the roasted rava slowly into the boiling water while stirring continuously. Make sure the water is hot, then cover and cook on low heat.
What is the correct rava to water ratio?
About 1 part rava to 2 to 2.5 parts water works well, depending on how soft you like it. Adjust slightly based on the rava texture.
Can I make upma without vegetables?
Yes. Plain upma with onion and tempering is traditional, but vegetables add colour, nutrition and flavour.
Can I make upma with other grains?
Yes. Broken wheat (dalia), oats or millet can be used for variations, adjusting the water and cooking time.
How do I serve upma?
Serve hot with coconut chutney, pickle or a squeeze of lemon, plus a cup of filter coffee or masala chai.
More Recipes You Will Love
- Kanda Poha (Maharashtrian Flattened Rice): light, tangy flattened rice breakfast
- Masala Dosa: crisp crepe with a spiced potato filling
- Idli with Sambar: soft steamed rice cakes with tangy lentil stew
- Masala Chai (Indian Spiced Tea): strong, milky tea with warming spices
Rava Upma
Description
Upma is a quick South Indian breakfast of roasted semolina cooked with onions, vegetables and tempered spices. It is soft, filling and ready in about fifteen minutes.Ingredients (serves 3)
Instructions
-
Chop the Vegetables and Ginger
Peel and finely chop the onion and carrot, slit or chop the 2 green chillies and grate the 1 inch (2.5 cm) piece of ginger. Keep them in separate small bowls next to the stove.Tip: Upma cooks quickly, so having everything chopped and ready is the best way to avoid burning the spices. -
Boil the Water
Boil 2.5 cups of water in a kettle or small pan and keep it hot beside the stove.Tip: Adding boiling water, rather than cold, is what keeps the rava fluffy and helps prevent lumps. -
Dry Roast the Rava
Put 1 cup of rava in a dry pan over low heat and roast for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until it smells nutty and looks dry and loose. It should not change colour. Tip it onto a plate.Tip: Dry roasting gives the grains a nutty flavour and keeps them separate and fluffy instead of pasty. -
Heat the Oil
In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat for about 1 minute, until hot but not smoking.Tip: A wide, heavy-based pan gives you more space to stir the rava later and stops it from sticking. -
Splutter the Mustard Seeds
Add 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds and wait for them to pop and splutter, which takes about 20 to 30 seconds. Cover the pan briefly if they jump out.Tip: The mustard seeds must pop. If they do not, the oil is not hot enough, and they will taste raw and bitter. -
Fry the Dals
Add 1 teaspoon each of urad dal and chana dal and fry for 30 to 40 seconds, stirring, until the dals turn light golden and smell nutty.Tip: The dals add a lovely crunch. Watch them closely, as they burn quickly. -
Add the Curry Leaves, Chillies and Ginger
Add the 10 curry leaves, green chillies and grated ginger and stir for 20 to 30 seconds, until the curry leaves crisp and the ginger smells fragrant.Tip: Stand back slightly when adding the curry leaves, as they splutter in hot oil. -
Saute the Onion
Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt and saute for about 3 minutes, until the onion turns soft and translucent but is not browned.Tip: The pinch of salt helps the onion release moisture and soften faster. -
Add the Carrot
Add the chopped carrot and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring, until it is slightly softened.Tip: Chop the carrot very finely so it cooks in the short time. You can use grated carrot if you prefer. -
Add the Hot Water and Salt
Pour in the 2.5 cups of boiling water, add about 1 teaspoon of salt and bring it back to a rolling boil. Taste the water: it should taste slightly salty.Tip: Season the water now, because the rava will absorb the salt as it cooks and you cannot fix it later. -
Add the Rava Slowly While Stirring
Lower the heat. With one hand, pour the roasted rava into the boiling water in a thin, steady stream, and with the other hand stir continuously so no lumps form.Tip: This is the most important step. Pouring slowly and stirring non-stop is the secret of smooth, fluffy upma. -
Cover and Steam
Keep stirring for about 1 minute, until the mixture thickens and leaves the sides of the pan. Cover with a lid, turn off the heat and let it steam for 2 minutes.Tip: The residual steam finishes cooking the rava gently, so you do not need to cook it for any longer. -
Fluff and Serve Hot
Remove the lid, fluff the upma with a fork and serve hot straight from the pan, with coconut chutney, a squeeze of lemon or a little yogurt.Tip: Upma firms up as it cools, so serve it immediately. Add a splash of hot water when reheating leftovers.
Note
Add the rava slowly while stirring to avoid lumps. The water must be boiling hot.Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my upma lumpy?
Lumps form when the rava goes into the water too quickly. Make sure the water is at a rolling boil, then add the rava in a thin stream while stirring constantly.
Can I add more vegetables?
Yes. Peas, green beans, capsicum and tomato all work well. Add them with the onion and cook them until they are just tender before adding the water.
What is the right rava to water ratio?
Use 2.5 cups of water for 1 cup of rava for a soft, fluffy upma. Use 2 cups for a drier, more crumbly texture, or 3 cups for a porridge-like consistency.
Which rava should I use?
Not necessarily. Fine rava gives a smoother texture and bold rava (coarse) gives a more grainy, fluffy upma. Both work, but dry roasting is important for either type.
Can I use ghee or add cashews?
Yes. Replace the oil with ghee for a richer flavour, or add roasted cashews for crunch. Ghee also makes the upma smell wonderful.
What goes well with upma?
Serve it hot with coconut chutney, a spoonful of yogurt or pickle, and a cup of filter coffee or masala chai.