Rava Upma recipe, this is the simplest, humble breakfast recipe that can be made in a jiffy, easy even for beginners in cooking. Make this savoury south Indian breakfast with semolina (cream of wheat) for a hearty and filling breakfast or dinner. Let's see how to make this easy dish with step by step pictures, video in this post.
Be it for breakfast, dinner or for your lunch box, this is really versatile you can prepare any day any time!
Check out my coconut chutney recipe and rava dosai recipe in this website.
I love having upma 365 days a year. One of my ever favourite is Rava upma and never get bored out of it. Was brought up eating rava upma a zillion times and never complained. If amma makes this, I will be the most happy to eat it hot hot, straight out from the kadai as she finish making. I used to miss it a lot when I went to hostel, so used to ask my mom to make upma when ever I visit for holidays. In contrast, nobody likes upma in my in-laws place except my MIL.
About
Upma is a breakfast item prepared with various ingredients like rava, semiya, wheat rava, rice rava etc... It is a staple breakfast or dinner in many households.
What is rava?
Rava is also known as semolina or suji/ sooji in Hindi. It is cream of wheat (middle portion of wheat grain), obtained by processing wheat.
Ingredients
Here are the basic ingredients to make rava upma.
- Rava - Semolina: There are different varieties available in the market. You can use anything. Roasted, unroasted, fine, coarse, bombay rava, ceroti rava. Just make sure not buy flour.
- Onion: Adds taste, flavour, texture to the upma. I never make without onion if it is rava upma.
- Green chilli: I just love the flavour of green chilli in rava upma along with other ingredients.
- Ginger: Optional but adds flavour, helps with digestion too. Since rava is quite heavy, I like to add ginger.
- Vegetables: Carrot is the one I add mostly. You can also add beans, peas, tomato and potato.
- Tempering items: Adding chana dal, urad dal along with mustard adds texture and looks lovely too.
- Curry leaves: Makes it flavourful and smells refreshing.
See my recipe card at the end for measurements and full list.
Step by step pictures
Let's see how to make rava upma step by step. Gather all ingredients needed ready firstly.
I firstly boil water as upma gets ready in no time. The water need not rolling boil, just until you see bubbles appear on bottom. You can even add required salt here.
1. Heat a kadai with oil and splutter mustard, follow it by adding urad dal and chana dal. Roast in low heat to get it crisp. Then add green chilli and curry leaves carefully. 1
2. After that, add sliced onion and fry until it turns translucent. Make sure not to change the colour as it will affect the colour of upma.2
3. Then add semolina/ rava and roast in low flame or medium flame. Add 2 -3 teaspoon of
4. Roast well, trying not to change the colour of rava. 2 minutes approximately.
5. After that, add required salt (if you have not added in water). Then add the hot water as you stir. It may splutter, so lower the flame and add.
6. Now put the flame to high and cook until it turns like thick porridge (almost all water absorbed).
7. Level and cook covered in low flame for 4-5 minutes.
8. Optional: You can add extra 2 teaspoon oil at this stage to prevent dry upma.
7. In between you can give a stir optionally. But you can cook straight too. Open the lid and give it a mix/ fluff.
8. Rava upma ready!
Enjoy upma hot the best, with your favorite chutney. We like to even have it with simply sugar. Get a hot cup of filter coffee as best ending to the breakfast.
FAQs
Idli rava is usually rice rava (made from rice) used for making idli instead of soaking rice and grinding it. So the end product is idli with urad dal, fenugreek seeds.
If the sooji is not roasted well, the upma turns sticky. Also cook thoroughly, uncooked upma also will be sticky.
Rava idli is a dish made with semolina. So do not get confused in this.
How to fix sticky upma?
Add more oil and mix. Coconut oil can be added generously.
How to make upma that is not like a paste?
Bring water to boil and add rava to it. Cook until it almost absorbs all water in high flame. Do not cook covered before the water is absorbed. Once thick, cook covered in low flame. If you slow cook from the time we add rava, it turns too pasty. Also never add rava before water boils briskly.
Why is my upma lumpy?
To avoid small lumps in upma, try roasting really well and add the sooji gradually while you stir.
Variations
There can be so many variations keeping this as basic recipe.
- Add ¼ cup mixed vegetables like finely chopped carrot, beans, peas and potato
- Add tomato while sauteing onion or add puree from tomato to make it tomato upma.
- Grated mango can also be added to make it mango upma.
- Add a lot of finely chopped coriander leaves while sauteing and lemon juice while cooking for a totally different taste. (My father loves lemon in upma).
For fluffy upma, use 1:2 water ratio (1 cup rava, 2 cups water). For moist upma, use upto 3 cup water. Use fat accordingly to avoid sticking.
Top Tips
Do not make it sticky. For that, roast well (yet do not spoil the colour, do in medium flame)
Use fat content accordingly. Ghee or oil of your choice.
Alternate method
Instead of roasting rava/ semolina in step 1, boil the water required by measuring it.
After sauteeing in step 2, add rava, oil if needed (2 tsp) and roast it for a minute. Add salt and the boiling water and cook the upma. This way, you can also avoid lumps in upma.
Here's a short video (reel) making rava upma recipe
https://www.instagram.com/p/CiNK99cj3_z/
Recipe card
Rava Upma Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Rava Semolina
- 2 cup Water Refer notes
- 1 Onion sliced
- 4 Green chillies slit
- 2 teaspoon Coconut Oil or Ghee
- Salt
To temper
- 1 to 2 tablespoon Oil
- ½ teaspoon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon Urad dal
- 2 teaspoon Chana dal
- 1 sprig Curry leaves
Instructions
- I firstly boil water as upma gets ready in no time. The water need not rolling boil, just until you see bubbles appear on bottom. You can even add required salt here.
- Heat a kadai with oil and splutter mustard, follow it by adding urad dal and chana dal.
- Roast in low heat to get it crisp. Then add green chilli and curry leaves carefully.
- After that, add sliced onion and fry until it turns translucent.
- Make sure not to change the colour as it will affect the colour of upma.
- Then add semolina/ rava and roast in low flame or medium flame. Add 2 teaspoon of oil or ghee at this stage.
- Roast well, trying not to change the colour of rava. 2 minutes approximately.
- After that, add required salt (if you have not added in water).
- Then add the hot water as you stir. It may splutter, so lower the flame and add.
- Now put the flame to high and cook until it turns like thick porridge (almost all water absorbed).
- Level and cook covered in low flame for 4-5 minutes.
- Optional: You can add extra 2 teaspoon oil at this stage to prevent dry upma.
- In between you can give a stir optionally. But you can cook straight too. Open the lid and give it a mix/ fluff. Rava upma ready!
Notes
- The water quantity depends upon the texture you want the upma to be.
- I like my upma to be not gooey and to be fluffy. So I add only 2 cups and keep the flame in low and cook properly.
- If you want it more on a softer side, add as much as 3 cups of water. It's your choice. But add more oil to avoid stickiness.
- Vegetables also can be added, but I rather give a difference between upma and rava kichadi, so I make upma plain or just with carrots and enjoy the rava flavour fullest!
- This is very basic recipe and add you own ingredients to make it in your version.
Sowmya D.S.L says
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sowmya D.S.L says
natural light pic.. excellent one!! love all ur recipes.. :)I too love upma with sugar ... 🙂
Nagalakshmi V says
i add some vegetables too but otherwise follow the same method 🙂
Sudha Sabarish says
I'm also a very big fan of upma,but i use to add veggies.Your upma is tempting now and pics are good as usual.
Mahi says
Nice upma Raji! I prefer wheat rava upma than the white rava..and, saw the recipe of your kichadi & I also do the same! 🙂
prathibha Garre says
Simple breakfast, I prepare this when I am alone.
Nandita SS says
Simple yet wholesome breakfast!!! Loved it 🙂
Shobha Kamath says
Nice and simple. I prepare it the same way and sometimes without onions too.
Beautifully presented.
Veena Theagarajan says
I follow same method. simple satisfying breakfast
http://great-secret-of-life.blogspot.com
Jeyashrisuresh says
Rava upma is my most fav dish, whenever i have this either coffee or tea is a must for me. Perfectly made and i loved the clicks
Dipti Joshi says
No one in my family is great fan of Upma but I love it.
Sharmilee! :) says
I also wonder why people dont like upma...I love it so much. Nice clicks and lighting too..perfectly cooked upma too!!
Kadhyaa says
Raks I love this upma with sugar 🙂
Dhanish Kumar says
Hi Raks you have bring back my childhood memories 🙂 My mom used to make this Upma & I love to have it with sugar too. I am gonna make it for tomorrow 🙂
Vini says
I agree with what you said...upma means simple without vegetables and kichadi is meant to be made with veggies 🙂 I always follow this differentiation too 🙂
divya says
Looks so yum....super clicks tooo..
Amina says
healthy and delicious breakfast recipe...
Aruna Manikandan says
an easy breakfast to prepare,love to have with coconut chutney 🙂
APARNARAJESHKUMAR says
pictures are good only raks ! sour curd 🙂 is another option for side dish ! nothing can beat Sugar ! loved it !
Sanoli Ghosh says
Simple but delicious upma. Your clicks tempt me a lot, lovely presentation.
today's recipe:
http://sanolisrecipies.blogspot.in/2013/02/green-peas-kachori-with-spicy-dam-aloo.html
Priya says
A quick and easy breakfast to enjoy,i dont even need a side dish.
BDSN says
Yeah in our family there are upma haters but they are ok with it once in a while but too often will scare them away. I really don't know what it is
Revathi says
Quick break in a hurry morning..love to have with idly podi..
Gayu says
My favorite breakfast. Can never get tired of this..I follow the very same method but add tomatoes too...Love the natural clicks..
Gayu
Kitchen - The Chef 's Paradise
Priya says
I love Upma! But my husband doesn't like it so I make it rarely too. Now I am trying to get my 18 month old to like it, so I'll have a reason to make it 🙂
I too like it fluffy and not clumpy.. so I actually add less water than you did 🙂
Nitya Raman says
I love Upma as much as you do!! I can eat it even 3 times a day 😀 I equally like semiya upma also 🙂
Nitya Raman says
I also wanted to tell you that I'm an ardent follower of your blog and have tried many of your recipes at home Mrs. Raji!
All of them have turned out to be blockbusters!! 😀 I think all these recipes will help me in my in-law's place in future 🙂
RAKS KITCHEN says
Thanks a lot 🙂
Apu says
Super!! Loving it!!
venki says
super upma
Dinkar says
With my wife away for a few days, I had to make something quick and tasty for the children. This recipe was absolutely perfect - thank you very much! I added the optional ginger slices you mentioned, and a few cashew nuts 🙂
abhisha roshan says
hi...
nice recipe...
my son always eats upma by pouring milk into it, so he doesnt like to take upma to school as it wont b accompanied by milk... so i wud like to knw whtr we can replace water with fresh milk...
plz do reply...
Raks anand says
Yes you sure can replace water with milk.
Eyeyoungcar says
Thank you Raks for the pictorial recipe. I followed your recipe meticulously and prepared Rava Upma just now and it came out delicious.
prajakta says
i make upma almost like this.turns out to be tasty but my husband likes the consistency which you get in hotel upmas.any tips?thanks
nanma
Raks anand says
You should use more water and add more oil while roasting the rava. It gives you a better moist texture that you are expecting 🙂
JOHN PAUL says
lovely breakfast recipe anbody can make it and can have it in thie world as the rawa , sooji,semolina is used in all the countries but the fastest and deliousuos altered recipe is the best breakfast done this is my favourite breakfast all my family members like when i make it in a special type
lost says
When I have time, I add grated coconut just before pouring water. It gives a nice crunch.
Aish Siva says
As i am newly married and zero in cooking, this site gives me some confidence to try few dishes. Even though i have cook at home ( my husband insisted to keep maid as my cooking is not good :'( ) i wanted to cook something for my husband.. I have started off with sweets as part of his birthday celebration. Cant wait to try each and every recipe u have posted.. Great going and u r really a guru for newly married girls 🙂 Thanks alot !!!
rseni says
Hi Raks,
I was hungry at breakfast and didn't have any leftovers from yesterday or even bread and salad from which I usually make a simple, quick sandwich. So, I googled for upma recipe and hit upon a few sites including yours. I liked your recipe as it was the easiest and simple.
Just went and made the upma as per your recipe except that I replaced the onion with cabbage (I don't eat onions). I was a little afraid that this would spoil it. But the upma turned out to be more delicious than the MTR upma that I usually buy from thhe market. I'm still feeling the taste now after eating it.
Thank you so much.
Regards,
Raspal
skyambler says
Me too love it with sugar! Can't wait to make it for breakfast. Great recipe. I have to figure out channa dhal and Urad dhal, not sure if I have them.
Harsha says
Hi,
How much quantity of water should i add for a cup of rava upma and semiya upma? I tend to add lots of water and it becomes too gooey.
Kindly help,
Thank you.
Raks anand says
How much ever rava u take if you want on fluffy side, you add 1 :2 water ratio. That is in the same cup u measure rava, measure water. If you want on softer side you can add up to 1:3 water ratio. . For semiya upma, add 1 & 1/2 cups for 1 cup.
Aparna A V says
I know this is the easiest and quickest tiffin around and am a very big fan of tangy spicy rava upma. But unfortunately whenever i try making it, it becomes a thick or mushy lump much to the hatred of my family. I dont know where i go wrong because i usually follow experts' recipes. But now for a change i will try yours and see how it comes. Thanks! I love this upma plain or just with coconut chutney
Pragya Shukla says
hye rak's wat is d diffence b/w rawa upma n rawa khichdi?????
Raks anand says
First the texture, we make upma fluffy and kichdi gooey.
Upma is plain and simple. Kichdi is rich with lots of veggies. We mainly add ghee in kichdi. we add turmeric in kichdi.
new mom says
Hello Raks .... I got the upma perfectly , thanks for the step by step process... I am new to ur blog n all ur recipes are easy to follow
santhi GA says
Hi akka.....first of all I tell u,I am a great great fan of ur blog....ur recipes exolanation and pictures attracts me a lot..today I tried ur rava upma...came out really well...even though this is a very simple basic recipe somehow it dosen't work out well with me..the water level will be either more or less..but today it came really yummy..thanks a lot akka....will try out more recipes. ..
fabie says
This is The Recipie I've been looking for for ages. As real French married to a southern Indian I was looking for this basic upuma with no vegetables or whatsoever in it. Tomorrow my husband will be pleased to eat his upuma/vada made by his wife and not his elder sister.
Thanks a lot for all your recipes
Ammu says
woww..simple recipe...i love upma bcoz it reminds me the wonderful hostel days..Upma is my mom's favorite break fast to prepare...bcoz its very simple and take only less time..right...May be the taste will depends on the Best Rava that we choose to preapre Upma..Thanks for sharing the wonderful blog..
swati m says
I love upma too.. Earlier I used to cook at very dry. I believe proper water proportion is important. Bur now its like a child's play.
Deepa says
You saved upma wars in our house 😉 mine was either over cooked or undercooked or lumpy.
I consulted mil / mom but couldn’t figure out how a simple dish can be so daunting 😉 I have started making it regularly only recently but still after so many years of cooking my hubby couldn’t digest that I can make such pathetic upma 🙁 buy yaaay yesterday was the best I ever made thanks to the tips ..
Raks Anand says
I am so so happy to read this comment 🙂 Glad the points I shared really help someone 😀 Yay