on Jun 30, 2021, Updated Dec 12, 2023
About Rava Upma
Vegetable Rava Upma (Sooji Upma) is a thick and fluffy savory porridge made using rava (semolina, sooji), veggies, fresh ginger, curry leaves, and a few more simple ingredients. This South Indian breakfast recipe is easy to make, delicious, and comes together in just 20 minutes. Traditionally known as Uppumavu, Uppuma, Uppindi, or Uppittu, it is typically served for everyday breakfast with kesari bath(sweet semolina pudding) or with a side of coconut chutney or podi and filter coffee. Not only South Indian homes but also restaurants, darshinies (roadside South Indian eateries), and tiffin centers have it on their menu. Traditionally, rava upma is made using wheat semolina (rava), but you can make many versions using bread, vermicelli, flattened rice (poha), oats, etc. This Indian semolina porridge is loaded with vegetables, which make it nutritious, filling, and wholesome. You can skip the veggies and make a simple version. A well-made upma is non-sticky and is bursting with flavors from spices. This dish is very simple to make OR BREAK. If made properly by following the recipe and measurements correctly, you can make fabulous sooji upma at home but if the measurements are off, it will turn into a goopy mess. But worry not; my step-by-step recipe will detail every step for you. Just follow it to the T and make the best rava upma ever. This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled. Just adjust the ingredients; the cooking time will remain almost the same. Here are some more breakfast recipes that you must try
Paniyaram Aloo Poha Rava Appe Sooji Balls Egg Idli Rava Idli Besan Chilla Masala Paratha Ven Pongal
Ingredients
You will get all the ingredients in your nearby Indian grocery store. Rava – Rava is also called semolina, cream of wheat, or sooji. It comes in multiple thicknesses, but to make rava upma, always choose fine semolina or barik rava. It is also called upma rava or Bombay rava. Try buying roasted rava as it has a better shelf life and also cuts down the roasting time in the recipe. Ghee – You will need some fat to roast the semolina. I highly recommend using ghee (clarified butter) as it lends a very nice flavor to the final dish. However, if you want to make a vegan version, use plant-based oil instead. For Tempering – Tempering of brown mustard seeds, curry leaves, dried nuts, and lentils gives it a nice flavor and crunch. Split and skinned black lentils (white urad dal), Bengal gram (chana dal), and nuts like cashew nuts or peanuts add a lovely crunch to the otherwise soft upma and I highly recommend adding these to your recipe. Other Ingredients – I have added red onions, green chilies, fresh ginger, and veggies to my recipe. But you can feel free to skip these and make a plain and simple upma. I generally add carrot, green beans, and peas, which are traditionally added to it, but feel free to add broccoli, mushroom, cauliflower, zucchini, etc. Hot water – The proportion of water to semolina is very important for the right texture of rava upma. I always use 2.5 cups of boiling water per cup of semolina, which gives me perfectly fluffy and non-sticky every single time. Cilantro and Lime – Add chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves) at the end to make it even more flavorful. Adding a little freshly squeezed lime juice balances the flavors very well.
How To Make Rava Upma
Preparations
Break cashew nuts into halves. Chop a small red onion and 1 small green chili, and grate a small piece of ginger using the small hole of a grater. Peel a carrot and cut it into ⅛-inch cubes. Cut green beans into ⅛ inch pieces and rinse ¼ cup frozen green peas with water. Keep 3 cups of water for boiling on the other stove. We will need 2.5 cups of boiling water. Gather the remaining ingredients.
Roast The Semolina
Heat 1 teaspoon ghee in a pan over medium-low heat. Note – You can use oil for a vegan version. However, the best upma is made in ghee. Add 1 cup fine sooji to the pan and mix it well with the ghee by stirring and mashing the clumps with the back of a ladle. Note – You can also roast the sooji without ghee, but adding a little ghee ensures the upma is not gooey and is perfectly fluffy. Roast the rava until it turns light brown (3-4 minutes). Keep stirring continuously so it roasts evenly without getting burned at the bottom of the pan. Note – Do not over-roast the rava; otherwise the upma will turn dark in color. Transfer the roasted rava to a plate and keep it aside. Note – Do not leave roasted rava in the pan; otherwise, it will keep browning from the pan’s heat. Tip – You can roast the sooji in bulk, cool it, and store it in an airtight container for up to a month. Use it whenever you want. It will save you some time.
Make The Upma
Wipe the same pan with a paper towel to remove any rava sticking to it, and add the remaining ghee to it. Heat it over medium-high heat. Tip – Do not reduce the amount of ghee; otherwise, the upma will not turn out fluffy. Once the ghee is hot, add
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds, 15-20 curry leaves 1 teaspoon split and skinned black lentils (white urad dal) 1 teaspoon Bengal gram (chana dal) 8-10 halved cashew nuts
and saute until they turn slightly brown (1-2 minutes). Add
½ cup chopped red onions 2 teaspoon chopped green chilies 1 teaspoon grated ginger
and cook until the onions turn pinkish (2-3 minutes). Stir frequently. Add
¼ cup cubed carrots ¼ cup chopped green beans ¼ cup green peas
and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir frequently. Note – I like crunchy veggies, so I cook them for very little time. If you like them soft, cover the pan and cook for 6-8 minutes until tender. Now add
2.5 cups of boiling water ½ teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 and ½ teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
to the pan and bring the mixture to a boil. Tip – To check if the salt is enough for your taste, taste the water. If you like the saltiness, it is fine; otherwise, add more salt as per your preference. Reduce the heat to low. Slowly add the roasted suji and keep mixing while adding to avoid the formation of lumps. Make sure to mix it well and take care that there are no lumps. Preferably mix in one direction. Cover the pan with a lid. Covering the pan is important as it will let the sooji soak up the water and become soft. Cook for 5-8 minutes on low heat until suji absorbs the water and is cooked completely. Remove the pan from heat and let it rest for 4-5 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid, fluff the upma with a fork, garnish with 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (coriander), and serve hot.
Variations
You can make many variations of rava upma by replacing semolina with other ingredients such as Dalia Upma (broken wheat), sabudana upma (tapioca pearls), ragi upma, leftover idli upma, oats upma, Vermicelli Upma, puffed rice upma, or even Bread Upma. The cooking time is different for each grain though. You can add more vegetables to make it healthier and more filling. Add tomatoes and spices like turmeric powder and red chili powder to make a spicy masala upma. Grind cilantro, mint leaves, and green chili peppers and add the paste to the upma to make a coriander mint upma. It also gives it a beautiful green color. You can add pureed tomatoes and make a flavorful tomato upma.
Serving Suggestions
Suji ka upma is best served with White Coconut Chutney and a hot South Indian Filter Coffee or Adrak Wali Chai. Try the Red Chilli Coconut Chutney or Coconut Cilantro Chutney with the upma for a change. The North Indian in me likes to top mine with some sev and eat it with tomato ketchup. Green Chutney will also go well with it. You can also serve it with spicy Bombay Chutney. Some households even serve it with pickles, the most popular being lemon pickles. You can also sprinkle South Indian podi like Idli Podi, Karivepaku Podi, or Andhra Style Peanut Chutney Powder. Do not forget to drizzle some extra ghee on top.
Storage Suggestions
Rava upma tastes best when served fresh, but if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container for about 2-3 days. It tends to get dry after refrigerating, so before reheating, add in a little water and mix well. You can reheat it in a pan on a stovetop or microwave until nice and warm.
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