Ragi Rava Upma
Updated: May 23, 2024, By Swasthi
Ragi Rava Upma is a nutrient-dense South Indian breakfast made with finger millet, tempering spices and herbs. It is a savory porridge like dish with bursting flavors of ginger, green chilies, roasted lentils, nuts and curry leaves. Traditionally, upma is made with wheat semolina but this recipe replaces it with finger millet making this a gluten-free dish.
If you are trying to eat healthy or switch from refined semolina to nutrient-rich semolina, this is a must try recipe. Finger millet is a staple in our home and I often include it in our diet to make various dishes like malt/porridge, ragi roti, dosa and many more. This recipe is inspired from my Mom and she would get the whole finger millet milled to coarse semolina to make this dish.
About Ragi Upma
However for this recipe I won’t ask you to find a mill because I am making it with store bought rava. There are 2 ways to make ragi upma. One way is to use broken finger millet aka ragi rava and the other is to use finger millet flour and semolina /rava in equal quantities. My recipe is made using the first method. With the second method, it won’t be a gluten-free dish.
Finger millet semolina is not easily available in many countries, you may look for it in South Indian grocery stores. You can also make the semolina at home by pulsing the whole ragi in a grinder. You will have some flour along with the semolina which you will sieve to separate the flour.
My recipe uses store bought finger millet semolina. You will rinse and soak the ragi rava for 30 mins to soften it. Later drain the water and squeeze of the excess moisture just like the way we do for idli rava. It looks separate, grainy, dry and not sticky at this stage. Here is a pic of it looks after these steps. This is a important step to make good ragi rava upma.
This ragi upma won’t turn fluffy, meaning it won’t be separate but will be like a wet, porridge kind. It tastes good if you like the earthy flavors of the grain. I like to make this very simple without any veggies but sky is the limit. You can use carrots, peas, green beans or even tomatoes to make it more flavorsome and nutritious.
Sambar, curry, dal, pickle, yogurt, chutney or podi make for great sides with this dish.
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Recipe Card
Ragi Rava Upma
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 1 cup ragi rava
- 2½ cups water
- ⅓ to ½ teaspoon salt (more if needed)
- 2 tablespoons oil / ghee
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 2 green chilies slit or chopped
- 1 pinch hing / asafoetida
- ½ teaspoon mustard
- ½ teaspoon cumin / jeera
- ¼ cup onion sliced (1 small)
- 10 cashew nuts split or 3 tbsps peanuts
- 1 teaspoon ginger chopped
- ½ tablespoon chana dal
- 1 teaspoon urad dal
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves fine chopped
- 1 small lemon to serve
Instructions
How to make Ragi Upma
- Wash and soak ragi rava for about 30 mins. Drain completely and squeeze off the excess water using your hands. Set this aside.
- Heat a pan with oil. Add cumin, mustard, chana dal, urad dal and cashew nuts. Fry them until the lentils turn golden.
- Add hing, onions, curry leaves, ginger and green chilies. Fry them until the onions turn transparent.
- Transfer the rava and saute for a while for about 3 to 4 minutes until you begin to smell the rava good.
- Meanwhile stir water and salt in a pot. Taste test the water. It should be slightly salty. Bring this to a boil. Turn down the heat and slowly pour the water with one hand, while you stir the rava with another hand. Be careful as the water can splash at this stage.
- Cover and cook on a low to medium heat until all the water is absorbed and cooked through. If you think it is still uncooked, simply add more boiling water. Stir in between a few times. Turn off and let rest for 10 to 15 mins.
- Sprinkle some lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve ragi rava upma hot.
Notes
- If you feel the cooked upma is still undercooked, simply transfer to a bowl and pressure cook for 1 whistle in a pressure cooker or for 6 mins in a instant pot. Sometimes I find the store bought rava to be too coarse.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
About Swasthi
I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me
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Comments
Shd we pressure coom the rawa as mine was little uncooked.
Pour more boiling hot water and cook. It may become too mushy if you pressure cook.
Ragi receips are extremely good
Thank you
. All recipes are awesome
How to make Ragi rava at home??
I have mentioned the method to make ragi rava in the comments
Hi swasthi I tried ragi rave upma….It was yummy….everyone loved in my home….I follow all your recipes…it’s so easy to make…thank you so much for such wonderful delicious recipes…please keep uploading the yummy recipes.
Hi Payal
You are welcome. Glad it turned out good. Yes sure will keep sharing more recipes. Thank you!
Thanks for helping with recipes
Welcome Lakshmi
So far Never heard of ragi rava,. Can you pl share how to make rava. Already ragi size …,
Hi,
These days it is available in most grocery stores in south India. Since it is not available where I live i made my own. Just rinse the ragi very well and dry them completely on a cloth. Pulse them in a mixer. Sieve and remove the flour. Use the flour to make porridge or roti. Use the rava to make upma. Hope this helps.
Too too good excellent recipes..just enjoyed goin thru every thing..
Thank you. For making the rava, I have given the details in the last comment. Please read that.
Hi I have done this recipe. It was very yummy. I didn’t expect it would be so tasty. I have a question. Can i do the recipe it roasting the rava and add hot water whenever i required? Can i store the rava once roasted?
Hi Jyostna
Thank you. I usually roast it and keep in a jar for a month. So it is easy to make when needed. Just make a tempering when needed and bring the water to a boil. Then add the rava.
Can I use ragi flour instead of ragi rava to make upma?
Hi Shiva
Upma works only with rava and not flour
Hi Your ragi rava upma looks tempting. I want to try it. But i dont see ragi rava sold in stores here. As you made ragi rava at home, can you please share the method of making rava. Thanks.
Welcome Nalini,
pls read my reply to the below comment. I have mentioned it there.
I loved it!
It looks pretty tempting.
Will try it tomorrow morning for sure.
Can I add other veggies with this too?
Regards,
Vijayashree
Hi Vijayashree,
Thank you! Yes do try it. I haven’t tried with veggies. But it should work
How do you make the ragi rava at home?
Hi Suganthi
I have washed dried the ragi well and then pulsed them coarsely in a blender / mixer. Sieve and remove the flour to make porridge/kanji. Use the rava for upma
Thank You Swasthi!!
Hi,I want to try the recipe..I didn’t find the ragi rava in shop. I have a doubt..1) I need to soak for an hour or just washing 2.) shall I dry ragi in sunlight for 4hrs or can I dry ragi inside the home about how many days?
Sarika
Just wash them well. You can also air dry and make the rava. But if you prefer to store it for few months, then sun dry them until they are moisture free and turn crunchy. You can also just, air dry for 2 to 3 hrs. Then make the rava and dry roast it lightly.
How to make Ragi Rava