Upma is sure a healthy alternate to pasta and noodles. This Recipe gives confidence in moving from novice to matured level of cooking or when we start cooking. This is my go to dish for sudden food cravings & when I am busy.
What is Upma?
Upma is a popular South Indian breakfast made by first roasting rava then cooking it along with a basic tempering with onion, spices and ghee. Upma can be made with or without vegetables as per our liking and convenience. Rava is called by different names like sooji, suji, cream of wheat, semolina etc. Upma can be relished with sambar, chutney or even with just sugar and ghee. This is an any time meal that is relished as breakfast, dinner, evening snack and for sudden hunger. I have always wondered why this is cornered and disliked by many. I love all upma varieties either bread upma, idli upma, aval upma, or wheat rava upma etc. I had/have no complaints eating upma anytime of the day but only thing that matters to me the most is the consistency, it should be not be sticky it should be fluffy. You can add vegetables to this like in rava kitchadi but I make it plain to enjoy the simple flavor. You can have any spicy chutney or pickle or sugar as side dish. This recipe comes to a rescue when we run out of idli / dosa batter, wheat flour or veggies. Upma is called in many names – Rava Upma (South India), Semolina Upma (English Translation), Sooji Upma(Hindi).
Secret for fluffy upma
Upma often cooked mushy / gooey in earlier years and that’s how this turned to be cook friendly. Rava Upma that Indigo flight offers is heart filling, tasty meal that lingered in my mouth for a long time. The secret to the wonder is the slow roasting of rava, the addition of ghee instead of oil added at homes and cooking it covered the right way to get fluffy upma. Of course adding milk is my touch as it not only gives tastier, fluffier and also a milky white colored upma.
Rava Upma Video
Similar Recipes
Bread upma Idli upma Poha upma Semiya upma Wheat rava upma
Upma Ingredients
Rava / Sooji / Semolina – I have used store bought rava (hard wheat / semolina) for this recipe. Make sure to slow roast rava to slight golden brown color. Use 2.5 cups of water for 1 cup of rava if you wish it to be loose & crumbled – Use 3 cups of water if you want it to be mushy. Spices – Upma recipe needs a simple tempering with oil, urad dal, mustard seeds, curry leaves and green chili. Veggies – I have added just onion to make this simple rava upma. You can add vegetables like carrot, peas and beans too to make vegetable rava upma. Ghee / Oil : Use ghee when available as ghee takes upma to a different level of taste. Alternatively you can use regular refined oil / gingelly oil / groundnut oil.
How to make Upma Step by Step
Roasting rava
1.Dry roast 1/2 cup sooji(fine rava) in a heavy bottomed kadai. Just roast for 3-5 minutes in low flame until aroma comes, do not burn or change the color. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Even if the pack of rava says its roasted variety, do roast it for a while as it makes a difference.
Tempering
2.Heat 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon ghee – add 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds, let it crackle. 3.Now add 1/2 teaspoon urad dal, 1/2 teaspoon chana dal, few curry leaves. 4.Fry until dal turn golden. 5.Now add around 9 cashews, fry until golden. By now dal would have turned crisp and golden.
Adding onion
6.Add 1 green chili chopped and 1/2 teaspoon ginger finely chopped. Add 1 medium onion roughly chopped. 7.Saute until golden. You can add 1 small tomato if you like.
Adding water and milk
8.Add 1 and 1/4 cups water. The basic ratio of rava : water is for 1 cup rava it is 2.5 cups water so for 1/2 cup I have used 1 and 1/4 cups water. 9.Add 2 tablespoon milk. Though adding milk is optional, I would recommend adding milk for a more white colored, soft and fluffy upma. 10.Add required salt. 11.Give a quick mix. 12.Keep flame in medium flame. Let it come to a rolling boil.
Adding sooji
13.Add roasted rava in a sprinkled manner and keep stirring. 14.Keep stirring continuously to avoid lumps. 15.Keep cooking until water is almost absorbed. 16.Once it becomes thick, pat it well.
Cooking upma
17.Cover and cook for 2 minutes. 18.Open and gently fluff the upma. 19.Give a quick mix. 20.Add 1/2 teaspoon ghee. Give a quick mix. Switch off. 21.Keep covered for 5 minutes. 22.Open and fluff the upma. 23.Fluffy non sticky upma is ready. Rava Upma is ready. Serve hot!
Expert Tips
Roasting – Take care while roasting the rava – Roast rava in low medium flame for 5 minutes till nice aroma comes and the color turn slightly golden brown. Cooking in low medium flame avoids over-roasting of rava. If roasting is perfect then Upma will be fluffy, else over-roasting makes it sticky and mushy when cooked. Water – Water level depends purely on the consistency you want the upma to be. We like ours a bit fluffy so added 1 rava : 2 and 1/2 cups of water. If you want a gooier version then add 3 cups of water. Cook covered – Cooking covered absorbs the extra moisture making it fluffy. Ghee – Adding ghee at the end gives a nice flavor and avoids stickiness.
Variations
Replace rava with wheat rava or oats or quinoa- a healthier version. Add cashews, peanuts (after roasting & peeled) if you like crunch while eating. Add a 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice after switching off for a lemony flavor. Add pinch of turmeric powder along with tempering items for color. You can add vegetables like carrot, beans, potato, peas to make upma wholesome and healthy Add 1 small tomato along with veggies for a tangy flavor. Add coriander leaves as garnish if you prefer.
Serving & Storage Suggestion
Upma is savored with sambar, chutney, or just with ghee and sugar. Upma keeps good for a day – For later use within the day, refrigerate and reheat it before serving.
1.How do you make Upma?
Dry roast rava for 3-5 minutes till nice aroma rises in a kadai in low medium flame and set aside. Temper the spices. Then add onions and fry for 2 minutes then add water along with salt and let it boil. Once it starts to bubble and boil, add rava slowly in a sprinkled manner, stirring simultaneously. Then close it with a lid and cook for 5 minutes or till it becomes fluffy.
2.Why is my Upma mushy / sticky?
If rava is not roadted well and water is more upma turns out mushy and sticky. So be careful while roasting and adding water.
3.Is Upma healthy?
Rava Upma has to be taken in moderation if you are diabetic and go for wheat rava for a healthier version.
4.Can I add vegetables in Upma?
Sure – Boil the vegetables and add while the rava is half cooked. If you have any more questions about this Upma Recipe do mail me at [email protected]. In addition, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Youtube and Twitter . Tried this Upma Recipe? Do let me know how you liked it. Also tag us on Instagram @sharmispassions and hash tag it on #sharmispassions.
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