Vegetable upma — semolina upma with carrot, beans, peas, coriander and curry leaves, as a mound on a banana leaf

South Indian · Breakfast

Vegetable Upma

Upma is a savoury semolina breakfast cooked with vegetables, a mustard and lentil tempering, and measured water. Unlike the Karnataka khara bath recipe in this series, this version has no aromatic bath powder or coconut finish. Roast the rava, add it gradually to boiling liquid, and cook until tender.

Prep
15 min
Cook
25 min
Total
40 min
Serves
4
Makes
4 breakfast bowls
  • vegetarian
  • vegan
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By Organic Mandya Kitchen ·

Vegetable upma is an everyday South Indian breakfast that travels easily across household and regional cooking styles. Onion, carrot, beans and peas give this version small pockets of texture without requiring a separate curry. The method depends on gently roasted rava and a steady stream into the cooking water. Keep the lemon and coriander for the finish, when the semolina is already tender and ready to serve with chutney. This home version uses measured ingredients and ordinary Indian kitchen equipment. Keep the accompaniments ready so vegetable upma can reach the table at the texture described in the method.

Ingredients

  • 200 g (approximately 1 cup)Rava / sooji Organic Mandya
  • 625 ml (approximately 2 1/2 cups)Water
  • 25 ml (approximately 1 1/2 tbsp)Cold-pressed groundnut oil Organic Mandya
  • 2 g (approximately 1 tsp)Black mustard seeds Organic Mandya
  • 8 g (approximately 2 tsp)Chana dal Organic Mandya
  • 4 g (approximately 1 tsp)Split skinless urad dal Organic Mandya
  • 1 g (approximately 1 tbsp)Curry leaves
  • 100 g (approximately 2/3 cup)OnionFinely chopped.
  • 60 g (approximately 1/2 cup)CarrotSmall dice.
  • 50 g (approximately 1/3 cup)French beansFinely chopped.
  • 50 g (approximately 1/3 cup)Green peas
  • 4 g (approximately 1 2/3 tsp)Green chilli
  • 5 g (approximately 1 tsp)Fresh ginger
  • 6 g (approximately 1 tsp)Fine salt
  • 10 ml (approximately 2 tsp)Lemon juice
  • 6 g (approximately 1/4 cup)Fresh coriander leaves

Method

  1. Roast semolina

    Dry-roast rava over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, until fragrant without browning.

    ⏱ 5 min

  2. Reserve rava

    Transfer roasted rava to a dry plate.

  3. Fry tempering

    Fry mustard, chana, urad and curry leaves in oil over medium-low heat for 3 minutes.

    ⏱ 3 min

  4. Cook vegetables

    Sauté onion, carrot, beans, peas, chilli and ginger in the tempering for 5 minutes.

    ⏱ 5 min

  5. Boil liquid

    Bring measured water and salt to a rolling boil with the vegetables, about 4 minutes.

    ⏱ 4 min

  6. Add rava

    Whisk rava into the boiling liquid in a slow stream over low heat for 1 minute.

    ⏱ 1 min

  7. Cook upma

    Simmer covered over low heat for 5 minutes, until the grains are tender.

    ⏱ 5 min

  8. Rest upma

    Rest covered off the heat for 3 minutes.

    ⏱ 3 min

  9. Finish seasoning

    Fold lemon juice and coriander through the cooked upma.

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Tips

  • Use a 250 ml cup, 15 ml tbsp and 5 ml tsp; follow the gram weights when cup measures differ.
  • Keep vegetable pieces small and even.
  • Add rava gradually while stirring continuously.

Serving

Serve warm with coconut or tomato chutney.

Storage

Refrigerate within 2 hours and use within 24 hours.

Variations

  • Replace peas with 50 g (approximately 1/3 cup) finely diced capsicum.
  • Add 15 g (approximately 2 tbsp) cashews to the tempering.

Nutrition per serving

Energy276 kcal
Protein8.6 g
Carbohydrates45.4 g
Fat6.6 g
Fibre4.4 g

Approximate, calculated from representative raw-ingredient values and divided by the stated servings; includes measured cooking fat and excludes separately served accompaniments.

Questions people ask

How does this upma differ from the uppittu article?

This recipe presents a simply tempered vegetable upma without vangi bath powder or a coconut finish. The uppittu article follows a Karnataka khara bath style with those additions and a softer finish. Both share a semolina base, but their seasoning and intended character differ.

What water ratio makes vegetable upma soft?

This recipe starts with 625 ml water for 200 g medium semolina, approximately two and a half cups water per cup rava. Vegetable moisture also contributes. Check the cooked grain and add a little boiling water if it remains firm before the final rest.

Can I use pre-roasted rava for upma?

Yes. Plain pre-roasted semolina can shorten the initial roasting stage, but warm it briefly to refresh its aroma. Check that the packet contains only rava rather than a seasoned instant mixture. Keep the measured water and vegetable amounts for a predictable first batch.

How do I keep vegetables from staying raw in upma?

Cut firm vegetables into small, even pieces and sauté them before adding the water. They continue cooking as the water boils and the rava simmers. Large carrot or bean pieces may need extra cooking first, since the semolina stage itself is comparatively short.

Can vegetable upma be packed for breakfast?

Pack it in a clean container and eat promptly, or cool and refrigerate within two hours for later use. Reheat refrigerated portions with a little water until steaming throughout. Keep chutney separate so it does not add moisture to the stored semolina.

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