Description
A classic South Indian breakfast recipe, Vegetable Upma is a savory and comforting dish made from roasted semolina cooked with fresh vegetables and fragrant spices. It is mildly spiced, nutritious, and perfect for a quick and wholesome meal any time of the day.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 Cup Bombay Rava (semolina or sooji)
- 1 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- 1 Teaspoon Urad Dal
- 1 Teaspoon Chana Dal
- 1 3/4 Teaspoons Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Sugar
Vegetables & Herbs
- 1 Sprig Curry Leaves
- 1 Dry Red Chilli (broken into two)
- 1 Tablespoon Ginger (finely chopped)
- 1 ½ Onion (chopped, approx 1 Cup)
- 2 Green Chillies (chopped)
- 1/3 Cup chopped Carrot
- 1/4 Cup chopped Beans
- 1 Tomato (chopped, approx 1/2 Cup)
- 1/3 Cup Green Peas
- 2 Tablespoons Coriander Leaves (chopped)
Liquid & Fats
- 2 Tablespoons Oil
- 3 1/4 Cups Water
- 1 Tablespoon Ghee
Instructions
- Roasting Rava: Heat a kadai or frying pan over medium heat. Add the semolina (rava) and roast it on a low flame for 3-4 minutes until it develops a nutty aroma. Stir constantly to avoid browning, which can alter the color and taste. Once roasted, transfer the rava to a plate and let it cool.
- Making Tempering: In the same pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and wait for them to splutter. Then add chana dal and urad dal and fry until they turn light golden brown, being careful not to over-brown.
- Adding Aromatics and Vegetables: Add curry leaves and broken dry red chili to the pan, sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Next, add chopped ginger, onions, and green chilies. Sauté until onions become translucent. Then add chopped carrots, beans, and green peas, cooking for about 2 minutes while stirring constantly.
- Boiling Water: Pour in 3 1/4 cups of water along with salt and sugar. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
- Adding Roasted Rava: Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to low and slowly add the roasted rava while stirring continuously. This prevents lumps from forming and ensures even cooking.
- Cooking Upma: Cover the pan with a lid and let the upma steam for 3 to 4 minutes on low heat, allowing the rava to absorb the water and cook thoroughly.
- Finishing Touch: Finally, add a tablespoon of ghee and chopped coriander leaves to the upma. Mix well, switch off the heat, and serve hot with coconut chutney, pickle, or curd.
Notes
- Roasting the rava well is crucial to prevent any raw taste in the upma.
- Stirring continuously while adding rava to boiling water prevents lumps.
- You can customize vegetables depending on availability; bottle gourd or peas can be added as well.
- Adjust the amount of green chilies as per your spice preference.
- Serving hot is best to enjoy the soft texture of upma.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Roasting, sautéing, steaming
- Cuisine: South Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (approx. 200g)
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
Keywords: vegetable upma, south indian breakfast, semolina upma, sooji recipe, savory upma, quick breakfast, healthy upma
