Vegetable Upma Recipe
A wholesome South Indian breakfast of fluffy roasted semolina cooked with fresh vegetables, aromatic tempering, and finished with a splash of buttermilk for a creamy tang. Ready in 20 minutes.
Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed pan or kadai
- Wooden spoon or spatula
Ingredients
For the upma
- 1 cup fine semolina rava / sooji / Bombay rava
- 2 tablespoons oil or ghee
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon urad dal
- 1 teaspoon chana dal
- 10–12 fresh curry leaves
- 1 green chili slit
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger finely grated
- 1 pinch asafoetida hing; optional
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup carrots finely diced
- 1/4 cup green peas fresh or frozen
- 1/4 cup French beans finely chopped
- salt to taste
- 2.5 cups water hot
- 1/2 cup thick buttermilk
Garnish
- fresh curry leaves
- a squeeze of lime
- 1 teaspoon ghee optional
Instructions
Dry roast the rava
- Heat a heavy pan over medium flame. Add 1 cup rava and dry roast, stirring constantly, for 3–4 minutes until it smells nutty and turns just slightly golden.
- Transfer roasted rava to a plate and set aside.
Prepare the tempering
- In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and wait for them to splutter.
- Add urad dal and chana dal. Toast for about 30 seconds until lightly golden.
- Add curry leaves, green chili, and grated ginger. Stir for 10–15 seconds (curry leaves will crackle).
- Add a pinch of hing if using. Add sliced onion and sauté until translucent, about 2–3 minutes.
Sauté the vegetables
- Add carrots, green peas, and beans. Sauté for 2–3 minutes until half-cooked.
- Season with salt to taste.
Cook the upma
- Pour in 2.5 cups of hot water. Stir immediately and continuously. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
- Add the roasted rava in a slow, steady stream while stirring continuously. The mixture will thicken quickly.
- Stir for 1–2 minutes until the rava absorbs all the liquid.
- Turn off the heat. Stir in the buttermilk until fully incorporated.
- Cover the pan and rest for 2 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
- Serve hot with coconut chutney and a squeeze of lime.
Notes
Roasting is non-negotiable: un-roasted rava turns gluey. Even 1 minute of dry roasting makes a difference.
Always use hot or boiling water, not cold: this prevents lumps.
Vegan option: skip buttermilk and add a squeeze of lime at the end instead. Use oil instead of ghee.
Gluten-free option: substitute jowar (sorghum) rava or foxtail millet rava using a 1:2.5 liquid ratio.
Make-ahead tip: roasted rava keeps in an airtight jar for up to 4 weeks at room temperature.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a pan with a splash of water.
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