Upma Recipe (Easy Rava Upma)

Upma is a traditional South Indian breakfast made with roasted rava (semolina), lentils, herbs and spices. Every South Indian home has its own version, with some recipes including vegetables and others keeping it simple with onions, curry leaves and green chilies. This recipe is the classic home-style version that I learnt from my mother and makes a soft, fluffy and flavorful upma.

Upma is a classic South Indian breakfast made with rava (suji or semolina), lentils, nuts, herbs and spices. In this recipe, the rava is first roasted and set aside.

A tempering is made with mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal and cashews, followed by onions, ginger and curry leaves. Water is then added and brought to a boil, after which the roasted rava is stirred in and cooked until soft and fluffy.

I often add cashews for a light crunch. You can also use peanuts instead of cashews. I also add a bit of sugar for a mild sweet-savory balance, which you can totally skip

The main ingredient in upma is rava, also called suji or semolina. For this dish you can use fine or medium semolina, commonly sold as Bombay rava or upma rava in Indian stores.

Very fine chiroti rava can also be used and gives a softer texture, though it is more commonly used in sweets like Rava Kesari or Suji Halwa. Broken wheat rava (bansi rava) is used to make a different dish called wheat rava upma

Upma is widely served in South Indian homes and restaurants. It is also common in Maharashtra and many other parts of India as a quick breakfast or evening snack.

Growing up, upma was made often in our home for breakfast or tiffin. When the rava is roasted beforehand and stored, this dish comes together in about 15 to 20 minutes.

Ingredients At A Glance

This upma is made with rava, onions, spices, herbs and a simple tempering of mustard seeds, cumin, chana dal and urad dal. Roasted rava gives the upma a soft, fluffy texture, while cashews add a light crunch. Sugar is optional,

Dosa
Rava Dhokla
Rava Idli
Suji Chilla
Rava Laddu

How To Make Upma (Stepwise)

This breakfast dish is easy to make at home with a few simple steps. Roast the rava first, then prepare the tempering before adding water and cooking the rava until soft. For the complete original step-by-step method with photos, you can also refer to the original Upma Recipe on Veg Recipes of India

Serving Suggestions

Serve upma hot or warm with slices of lemon or a side of lemon pickle or Coconut Chutney.

You can opt to drizzle half to one teaspoon of Ghee while serving. If you like you can garnish with some coriander leaves.

I also sprinkle some Sev (fried gram flour vermicelli) on it while serving. Though this is not the way this dish is traditionally served, the folks at home prefer this Mumbai style. You can also serve it with Idli Podi.

If you like, pair suji upma with classic Indian hot beverages like Masala Chai or Filter Coffee.

Scaling & Storing

You can easily halve or double the recipe. Upma is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers can be refrigerated for a day. Reheat with a few tablespoons of water in a pan on low heat until soft.

Dassana's Recipe Tips

Roasting rava: Roast the rava until it smells nutty and the grains feel light and separate. Properly roasted rava absorbs water evenly and gives a fluffy upma instead of a sticky one.

Adding rava in batches: Add the rava to hot boiling water in batches, mixing well after each addition. This helps avoid lumps and ensures a smooth texture.

Fats: This breakfast dish can be made with either ghee or oil. Ghee gives better flavor, but oils like sunflower, peanut or coconut oil work well too.

Rava and water proportion: For soft texture use about 1 cup rava to 2½ to 3 cups water.

The exact amount depends on the quality and texture of the rava.

Heat level: Once all the rava has been added, avoid cooking over high heat. Gentle cooking gives the grains time to absorb the water evenly without sticking to the pan.

Variations

Upma is a versatile dish with many regional and ingredient-based variations.The classic version is made with rava (semolina), but you can easily add vegetables like carrots, green peas, beans, capsicum or potatoes to make a more wholesome Vegetable Upma. Tomatoes can also be added to make a spiced and tangy Tomato Upma.

Instead of rava, different grains and staples are also used to make upma. Semiya Upma is prepared with wheat vermicelli, Rice Upma (Arisi Upma) uses rice rava, and Shavige Uppittu is made with rice vermicelli. Aval Upma is a another version made with flattened rice (poha).Leftover ingredients can also be turned into delicious breakfasts. Bread Upma uses bread slices, while Idli Upma is a great way to use leftover idlis.

For a healthier twist, try Ragi Upma, Oats Upma, or Quinoa Upma. These versions are more nutrient-dense while retaining the comforting flavors of traditional upma.

In Karnataka, upma is commonly known as Uppittu. A popular restaurant-style variation called Khara Bath is often served with Kesari Bath as the classic breakfast combination known as Chow Chow Bath.