Healthy & Nutritious Upma Recipe

Discover the Delight of Indian Recipes with a Hot Bowl of Upma!

When you think of South Indian breakfast, the first thing that comes to mind is a savoury, tasty, and flavourful dish called upma. You can make upma with semolina flour or cream of wheat, also called suji or rava, along with a few spices, herbs, vegetables, lentils, and nuts. It is a traditional dish prepared by simmering roasted semolina flour or rava in spiced boiling water, topped with cashews, white lentils, chana dal, and many other exciting flavours.

Thus, making upma a staple and everyday food in almost every household whether for tiffin, breakfast, or evening snack. It is a delectable experience that bursts with flavour in your mouth. So, even if you are a newbie or an experienced cook, use the upma recipe below to create a magical breakfast for your loved one in a few minutes! 

How to Make Upma Recipe?

Step 1: Prep and Roast the Rava

The first thing that you need to do when learning how to make upma is prepare all the ingredients and roast them according to your needs. Hence, the ingredients needed to make upma include the following:

•  1 cup of fine rava
• ⅓ cup of finely chopped onions
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
• 1 teaspoon of chopped green chillies
• 2 tablespoons of coriander or cilantro leaves
• 10-12 cashews
• 8-10 curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon of urad dal or hulled and split black gram
• 1 teaspoon of chana dal or hulled and split Bengal gram

Once you have all the ingredients prepared, take a kadhai or pan and pour one cup of rava into it. At this point, you need to roast the rava and keep on stirring while it gets roasted. You will know it's ready when the sooji or rava grains release their fragrance and look crisp, separate, and dry. Once this happens, ensure that the rava does not become extra brown, once it gets a golden colour turn off the flame and put the roasted rava aside.

Step 2: Saute and Fry the Nuts, Spices and Aromatics

After roasting rava, start frying up the spices and nuts that will go into your upma. For the frying and sauteing, follow the instructions below carefully. 

• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil or ghee in a pan, and then add a teaspoon of mustard seeds after lowering the heat. 
• After the mustard seeds crackle, put cumin, chana dal, and urad dal into the pan. 
• Now, keep frying the lentils until they are browned. Then, immediately, add 10-12 cashews and fry them on a medium to low heat. 
• Once the lentils and cashews are golden, drop the chopped onions and saute them until they are translucent and soft on medium-low heat. 
• Then, add chillies, curry leaves, and ginger to saute them together. 
• After sauteing, pour 2 and ½ cups of water onto the mix, along with salt, and then stir it on a medium to high flame. The water needs to be boiling hot. 

Step 3: Make Rava Upma

Finally, after all the preparation, it's time to add rava or suji, and your rava upma is ready! To make it, follow the instructions below for your rava upma recipe. 

• After bringing water to a rolling boil, reduce the flame and add the roasted rava in small batches of 4-5 spoons.
• While pouring the first batch of rava, ensure you continuously mix and stir it so the rava is entirely even with the water. 
• Continue adding the next batch of rava and stirring and mixing it. Follow this step until you have added all the rava. 
• Keep stirring the mix and check for any lumps. Break lumps, if any, by pressing them with the spatula. 
• Once the rava grains soak all the water. Cover the kadhai with a lid or plate and let the rava upma cook for 2-3 minutes. 
• Now turn off the heat, your suji upma is ready. You can add tablespoons of chopped cilantro or coriander leaves according to your tastes. 

Serve your delicious and lip-smacking upma with coconut chutney, lemon pickle, or even a slice of lemon. You can even sprinkle bhujia over it to give you a different texture. Or, sprinkle a teaspoon of ghee when you are serving, and it will work as a lovely aroma to elevate your upma. 

Pro Tip to Make Your Upma Quickly

Are you in a rush and looking for a simpler and quicker recipe? Then, this pro tip will definitely work for you. First off, in your rava upma recipe roast the rava ahead of time and store it away in an air-tight container. This will save you a few minutes in the morning. Also, stored roasted rava can be used for a long time if kept in an air-tight container. It prevents rava from getting spoiled or mouldy. 

This tip can make a hot plate of upma in only 15-20 minutes. And you can also use roasted rava in other recipes!

Conclusion

Making a mouthwatering upma recipe is easy when you have all the necessary ingredients. But it’s important to ensure your rava is not overcooked. Likewise, roasting the rava for too long can completely alter the taste of upma, and adding too much water can make it way more watery. So, follow the instructions carefully, and no wonder your perfect upma will be enjoyed by everyone in your family!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Which rava variety should I choose for making upma?

You can use either Bombay rava or even Kesari rava to make upma. Avoid using idli rava since it is specifically for making idlis.

2. Can I add more vegetables to my upma?

You can add as many vegetables to your upma. After sauteing the onions, add vegetables of your choice, such as green peas, grated carrots, french beans, grated potatoes, and more, and saute them until they become golden brown. Then, continue with the above-mentioned recipe.

3. Why does my upma have lumps?

Your upma might be lumpy if you have not thoroughly mixed the rava with the water. To ensure the mixing is done properly, add your rava in small batches instead of all. You can use fine rava since a coarser variety will need more water and have a higher chance of giving lumps.