Rava Upma
Savoury semolina porridge with mustard seeds and vegetables.
Ingredients
- 200 g Semolina (rava)
- 1 Onion
- 80 g Frozen peas
- 1 tsp Brown mustard seeds
- 8 Curry leaves
- 2 Green chili
- 1 Ginger
- 3 tbsp Ghee
- 1 tsp Salt
Method
- Toast the semolina in a dry pan over medium heat until lightly golden and fragrant, then tip out and set aside.
- Chop the onion, slit the chilies, and grate the ginger.
- Heat the ghee in the pan and crackle the mustard seeds and curry leaves until they splutter.
- Add the onion, chili, ginger, and peas and cook until the onion softens.
- Pour in hot water with the salt and bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat and rain in the toasted semolina in a steady stream, stirring constantly until it thickens into a fluffy porridge.
- Rest covered for a minute, then serve.
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About Rava Upma
Rava upma is a savory semolina porridge from South India, one of the classic quick breakfasts served across the region alongside coffee and chutney. It is built on rava, or coarse semolina, cooked in seasoned water until it swells into a soft, fluffy mass studded with peas and onion and perfumed by a tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chili and ginger in ghee. The taste is comforting and gently spiced rather than hot: nutty toasted grain, the pop and warmth of the tempering, a little heat from the chili, and the fragrance of curry leaves running through it all. It is filling but light, and it comes together in about twenty minutes, which is why it is a staple of busy mornings.
The technique that makes or breaks upma is in this method. Toasting the semolina dry until golden before it ever meets liquid keeps the grains separate and gives the finished porridge its fluffy, non-gluey texture, and raining it into the boiling water in a steady stream while stirring constantly prevents lumps from forming. The tempering done in ghee, where the mustard seeds are made to crackle and splutter before the aromatics go in, is the flavor backbone of the dish. Upma is usually eaten hot for breakfast with coconut chutney or a spoon of pickle, and it takes happily to whatever vegetables you have on hand, making it as flexible as it is fast.
Rava Upma: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Rava Upma?
A serving has about 323 calories — 8.9g protein, 45.5g carbs, 11.5g fat, 4.3g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Rava Upma gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Semolina (rava). You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
Is Rava Upma dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Ghee. Swapping it for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
How many servings does Rava Upma make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.