Upma Recipe or Rava Upma, is a traditional South Indian breakfast dish made with roasted Rava. A very simple and easy to make breakfast dish that only takes 20 minutes to get cooked.
This humble dish is called by various names like Uppuma, Uppittu, Uppumavu, Uppindi, Kharabath, Upeet, Rulanv (called in some parts of Karnataka). It is prepared with Semolina or Cream of Wheat, that is comes in various size as well. The most commonly used rava is the Bombay Rava, which is very fine in texture. Rava Upma is the most commonest dish made in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka and few other states.
Though I had heard people say they will run a mile if served Upma for a meal, its a different case in our household. All of us love it and I have seen it been prepared and enjoyed most from childhood. Amma makes the best Upma and yes even they love my Upma too.
We have so many different Upma recipes on our site that we could literally manage for weeks. Sooji ka Upma is the most tastiest dish you can make in short span. We love all the versions we make it at home like this tomato upma or vegetable upma that we call as Rava Kichadi.
Check the links to read the entire collection of Upma Varieties and Different forms of Upma
I orginally posted this recipe in 2008, updating the post and sharing it for the A to Z Easy Family Dinner Ideas. This is our weekly Saturday Dinner meal without fail!
Other Upma Recipes you can make:
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Step By Step Pictures for making Upma Recipe
Heat a nonstick pan with 1 tablespoon ghee, roast the rava until very roasted, takes about 5 mins on high flame. Transfer to a bowl.
Add the oil to the pan, temper with mustard, urad, chana, cashews, chopped onions, green chilies, curry leaves, saute until onion turns brownish.
You can add the salt to speed the process.
Now add water and cover with a lid. When the water starts rolling boil, simmer and check for salt.
If the salt is all fine, slowly add the roasted rava into the water while you quickly keep stirring to prevent lumps to form.
When the entire rava is well mixed, close with the lid, and simmer for 5 to 7 mins.
Remove the lid, add the remaining ghee, mix everything well and cover again for 5 mins.
The whole cooking of upma takes only about 10 mins.
Remove, fluff and serve hot with coconut chutney.
We mostly serve it with Groundnut chutney, Peanut Garlic Podi.
Recipe
Upma Recipe | How to make Upma Recipe with Rava
Ingredients
- 2 cups Semolina / Rava
- 4.5 cups Water
- 1 cup Onions finely chopped
- 3-4 Green Chillies chopped
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoon Ghee
- 2 tablespoon Cooking Oil
- 1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Urad Dal
- 1 teaspoon Chana Dal
- 2 Sprigs Curry leaves
- 5-6 Cashew Nuts
- 1 inch Ginger
Instructions
- Heat a nonstick pan with 1 tablespoon ghee, roast the Rava until very roasted, takes about 5 mins on high flame. Transfer to a bowl.
- Add the oil to the pan, temper with mustard, urad, chana, cashews, chopped onions, green chilies, curry leaves, saute until onion turns brownish.
- You can add salt to speed the process.
- Now add water and cover with a lid. When the water starts rolling boil, simmer, and check for salt.
- If the salt is all fine, slowly add the roasted Rava into the water while you quickly keep stirring to prevent lumps to form.
- When the entire rava is well mixed, close with the lid, and simmer for 5 to 7 mins.
- Remove the lid, add the remaining ghee, mix everything well and cover again for 5 mins.
- The whole cooking of upma takes only about 10 mins.
- Remove, fluff, and serve hot with coconut chutney.
- We mostly serve it with Groundnut chutney, Peanut Garlic Podi.
Traditionally authentic Andhra dish is Pesarattu Upma. But Upma on its own tastes great!
Homecooked says
This looks so yummy! This is my moms favourite and she used to make it often for us.
jayasree says
I agree with you regd the phobia thing. As u said, it never comes to my table for breakfast or any main course. Mostly it is made as a light tiffin for evening
kamala says
Though it is not my fav,the pic looks yummy.My dad's most fav.I too make like urs during emergency
sireesha says
Hi,visiting ur blog for the first time.U have a great and lovely blog!!!Rava Upma is one of my favorite breakfast. I oftenly make it.
Would love to see u on my blog.
notyet100 says
my sis loves it,..,..me used to eat in hostel every second day..as this was one of the regular breakfast menu.,..nice recipe,,,
Arundathi says
i love rava upma - even now i make it atleast once a week. i like adding a lot of veggies and eating it with milagai podi. mmm.
bhags says
Well I must say, I am a upma fan....and the way my mom makes it with yoghurt is yummy
Happy cook says
My mom also made it as emegency breakfast.
I love rava upma. Never make here at home as hubby and daughter don't like it.
I used to sprinkle a bit of sugar on top of the upma when i ate, back at home 🙂
ranji says
i love this..always helpful for a quick and easy breakfast anytime...looks good.
Cham says
It is indeed a emergency dish ... can be made in jiffy...somehow we don't like at all
indosungod says
Just starting to make Rava Upma as I am typing this. I also had an aversion to this growing up but nowadays it makes a regular appearance on our table. I am adding a 1/4 cup of vermicelli to mine.
Sukanya Ramkumar says
This is a quick fix breakfast for every one.... Love it....
Sangeeth says
u r rite ...rava upma is ruly a substitute...my mom makes this upma very often 🙂
Swati Raman Garg says
i love love love upma.. u know what u said for ur father.. upma being cooked for him even when there was something for breakfast or for dinner... this happened with me too many a times:) i love it with veggies and i love it when the color is like urs... ok the length of this comment shows my fondness for upma rite:)
bee says
hahaha. guess what we ate yesterday? will post about it tomorrow. i love upma but hate it inside pesarattu. i once at a very greasy MLA pesarattu with greasy upma oozing out and it put me off for a while. but J makes great upma, so i like it again.
satya says
As a guest, I don't like upma much....,because most of the times that's what I get...but, as a host,I simply love it....as it's a easy breezy one to make....:D
TBC says
I make upma a lot not 'coz I like it but it is pretty easy for a weekend BF.:D
Gaurav says
The Upma looks yum!!! Got a surprise for u on my blog...in the 5 must see recipes for the week post 🙂
U were the first tht came to mind for it 🙂
Srivalli says
Thank you everybody for your lovely comments. I am really sorry that I couldn't acknowledge each of you! But I really appreciate you taking time to comment!
Srividhya Gopalakrishnan says
At times I think what will we do without upma... I got deviated with your upma varieties and the microwave one sounds super interesting. Love the humble upma any time.
Radha says
Great tiffin! We love upma for any meal in our home. If there is a time crunch, we prefer making upma. This looks absolutely comforting.