By Anadi Misra · Updated · originally published
By Anadi Misra · Updated · originally published
By Anadi Misra · Updated · originally published
About this recipe
Make this easy vegan South Indian Rava Upma for a quick, satisfying breakfast. Fluffy semolina, fresh curry leaves, and bold spices come together in one simple, delicious dish.
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Rava upma can be prepared and served within minutes and it’s hard to get it wrong. This dish is ideal for beginners to Indian cooking! Rava is also known as sooji or suji in Hindi. All of these terms refer to the same ingredient, which is semolina! Did I mention that this dish is vegan? Yep, not leaving the vegans out!
The tree is native to India and there are several culinary and medicinal applications from it’s leaves. Healthline outlines 9 incredible benefits and uses of curry leaves here for your interest.
You can usually purchase these at your local Asian or Indian grocer, and I like to freeze them to use later.
Semolina is usually really easy on the budget, which makes it a popular ingredient in lots of Indian households, and this price to volume ratio translates to North American markets as well.
The rava/sooji/semolina needs to be roasted well to ensure the upma is fluffy and light. The roasting also adds some color since naturally, rava/sooji/semolina is very pale.
These ingredients are key to achieving a great base and understanding the basic concept of a great rava upma.
Olive oil: I like to use olive oil since it is lighter, healthier and is usually always in my pantry.
Black mustard seeds: Essential to most South Indian dishes, the flavor is very similar to subtle spice of mustard which compliments well with curry leaves. Usually mustard seeds are used in combination with curry leaves.
Curry leaves: These leaves are aromatic, and carry a pungent and citrusy flavor which works well with black mustard seeds
Chana dal/Split chickpeas: The lentils are lightly fried with the oil, mustard seeds and curry leaves and adds a nuttiness and texture to the soft, fluffy upma.
Onions: The spicy and nuttiness flavors from earlier are balanced by the sweetness of the onions. Once caramelized with the mustard seeds, they become infused with their flavor and create a unique, delicious flavor combination.
Lime Juice & Cilantro: Cuts through the flavors and helps add acidic freshness to the entire dish. While this step is optional, I urge you to try the upma before and after adding these ingredients to taste the difference.
A well roasted upma will have fluffy grains that will be steaming hot, which pairs amazingly well with some toast. I especially enjoy it with the subtle sourness of a rye bread. Traditionally, rava/sooji upma is served with coconut chutney or limes on the side and enjoyed by itself. I find the fun in finding your favorite way to enjoy these traditional dishes.
It's a savory South Indian breakfast made from roasted semolina (rava) cooked with a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, chana dal, onion and green chilies. Warm, soft and comforting.
Toasting the semolina for 5 to 8 minutes before cooking is the key step — it stops the upma turning gluey or sticky and gives it a light, fluffy, separate texture.
About ½ cup of semolina to 1¼ cups of water. Add the roasted semolina slowly to the boiling water while stirring so it puffs up evenly without clumping, and add a splash more water if it gets too dry.
It has gentle warmth from green chilies, which you can adjust to taste. A squeeze of lime and fresh cilantro at the end keep it bright and balanced.
Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cooking.with.anadi. Thank you!
Recipe by Anadi Misra
Make this easy vegan South Indian Rava Upma for a quick, satisfying breakfast. Fluffy semolina, fresh curry leaves, and bold spices come together in one simple, delicious dish.
Stovetop
Rate this recipe ✦
5 min
Prep
20 min
Cook
25 min
Total
2
servings
easy
Level
Tap any quantity to scale
Heat a pan on medium heat and roast your semolina for about 5-8 minutes until lightly roasted. Set aside and let it cool down on a plate.
Heat a pan on medium heat and roast your semolina for about 5-8 minutes until lightly roasted. Set aside and let it cool down on a plate.
In the same pan, heat oil on medium heat and add mustard seeds and curry leaves. When the mustard seeds start to pop, add the chana dal/split chickpea lentils.
In the same pan, heat oil on medium heat and add mustard seeds and curry leaves. When the mustard seeds start to pop, add the chana dal/split chickpea lentils.
Learn the techniqueThen, add the onions and green chilies. Sauté until onions become soft and the mixture is fragrant. Add 1 ¼ cups water and bring to boil.
Then, add the onions and green chilies. Sauté until onions become soft and the mixture is fragrant. Add 1 ¼ cups water and bring to boil.
Slowly add your roasted semolina while continuously stirring. The semolina will puff up and absorb the water. Cook until desired texture is reached. If upma becomes too dry, add more water.
Slowly add your roasted semolina while continuously stirring. The semolina will puff up and absorb the water. Cook until desired texture is reached. If upma becomes too dry, add more water.
Turn off the heat, put a lid on and let it sit for 1-2 minutes. Garnish with a generous squeeze of lime juice and cilantro. Serve hot with toast and enjoy:)
Turn off the heat, put a lid on and let it sit for 1-2 minutes. Garnish with a generous squeeze of lime juice and cilantro. Serve hot with toast and enjoy:)
294
Calories
10g
Protein
55g
Carbs
4g
Fat
4g
Fiber
4g
Sugar
1182mg
Sodium
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Tested & written in Anadi’s kitchen
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