Upma Recipe (Andhra style Rava Upma)
Rava upma is a South Indian savory breakfast made with semolina aka suji, nuts, spices and curry leaves. It is usually eaten with podi, sugar, chutney or sambar.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips.
© Swasthi's Recipes - www.indianhealthyrecipes.com
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
- 1 cup Rava (Bombay rava/ sooji/semolina)
To Temper
- 2 tablespoons oil or ghee (refer notes)
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera, optional, adds aroma)
- 1 teaspoon split urad dal (skinned split black gram)
- 1½ teaspoon chana dal (optional, adds nice aroma, Bengal gram)
- 2 tablespoons peanuts (optional)
- 8 to 12 cashews (you may leave out if using peanuts)
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) (optional)
other ingredients
- ¼ cup onion (chopped or sliced thinly)
- 1 to 2 green chili slit
- ½ inch ginger (½ to ¾ teaspoon very finely chopped or grated)(optional)
- 3 cups water (2¾ cups for a drier upma)
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon ghee (optional)
- lemon juice (optional) to serve
Optional
- ½ cup mixed vegetables (fine chopped carrots, beans and green peas)
How to make the recipe
- Roast rava: On a medium heat, dry roast rava in a pan, stirring often until crunchy and aromatic. Do not brown it. Remove to a bowl and keep aside to cool down.
- Optional - Roast peanuts to garnish - Fry peanuts in 1 teaspoon oil until golden, aromatic and crunchy. Reserve aside to garnish.
- Temper the spices: Pour oil to the hot pan & add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal & chana dal. Fry until the dal turns light golden. Add cashews and fry until they turn golden & aromatic. Stir in hing, green chilies, ginger and curry leaves.
- Saute for a minute & add chopped onions. Saute until transparent & add mix vegetables (optional) if using. Stir and cook covered until slightly tender.
- Boil water: Pour water and add salt. Mix and taste test the water. It has to be slightly salty. If required add more and bring the water to a rolling boil.
- Make upma: Lower the heat. With one hand pour rava in a slow stream to the boiling water, while you incorporate it into the water with the other hand. (check video). Be quick at this stage. Stir everything once to check any lumps. Break up if any.
- Cover and cook on the lowest flame until the water is completely absorbed. This just takes 2 to 4 mins depending on the kind of pot or pan used. Add ghee and give a quick stir. Turn off and cover back to rest for 5 mins.
- Stir in the lemon juice and serve rava upma plain or with spiced peanut podi, chutney, pickle or curd. Garnish with roasted/fried peanuts.
NUTRITION (estimation only)
Calories: 560kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 186mg | Potassium: 343mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 5.1mg
