Kitchen Recipe Collection
Indian Rava Upma
A savory, comforting porridge-like dish made from roasted semolina (rava), tempered with spices, lentils, and mixed vegetables.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cuisine
- indian
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- semolina (rava/sooji)
- onions
- mustard seeds
- urad dal
- chana dal
- green chilies
- ginger
- curry leaves
- mixed vegetables (carrots, peas)
- ghee
- water
Equipment
- Frying pan or wok
Instructions
- 1
Roast Rava
Dry roast the semolina on low heat until fragrant but not browned. Set aside.
- 2
Temper
Heat oil and ghee. Add mustard seeds, urad dal, and chana dal. Fry until golden. Add chopped ginger, green chilies, curry leaves, and onions.
- 3
Boil Water
Add finely chopped vegetables. Pour in water (usually a 1:3 ratio of rava to water) and salt. Bring to a rolling boil.
- 4
Add Rava
Lower the heat. Slowly pour the roasted rava into the boiling water in a thin stream with one hand, while continuously stirring with the other hand to prevent lumps.
- 5
Simmer
Cover and let it steam on very low heat for 2-3 minutes until the water is absorbed and the rava is fluffy.
Cooking Tips
- The secret to lump-free upma is adding the rava very slowly while stirring continuously.
- Roasting the rava, even if it says 'roasted' on the packet, drastically improves the texture so it doesn't become a sticky paste.
Variations
- Tomato Upma: Add finely chopped tomatoes after the onions.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- A classic South Indian breakfast often served with coconut chutney or a sprinkle of sugar.
Nutrition Estimate
280 calories · 6g protein · 40g carbs · 10g fat · 4g fiber per serving
