Rava Upma recipe, this is the simplest, humble breakfast recipe that can be made in a jiffy, easy even for beginners in cooking.
I love having upma 365 days a year. One of my ever favourite is Rava upma. I can never get bored out of it. Was brought up eating rava upma a zillion times. We never complained. Be it for breakfast or for dinner, if mom makes, I will be the most happy to eat it. I eat it hot hot, straight out from the kadai as she makes. 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, no body likes upma in my in-laws place except my MIL.
We sometimes find chance to make it and enjoy. But I have head not many of the people like upma in their families too. Don’t know what could be the reason. I can live with it. Wanted to post this basic recipe for long, especially for the Bachelors recipes collection. But since I make only in the mornings, that too very rarely😔, I never find time to photograph this one. Yeah, sadly both Aj and Vj are not big fans of upma. So I make it rarely.
The other day, I was down with cold and to make it simple for breakfast, made rava upma and I clicked in the morning sun light. Though I don’t take coffee, its exception when I catch cold. I love to have hot coffee which gives some sort of relief for the cold. So had upma and filter coffee and I clicked so fast before it cools down. So excuse with the quality of the pictures.
Upma:
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 hindhi. It is cream of wheat (middle portion of wheat grain), obtained by processing wheat.
Is idli rava same as semolina/ sooji/ suji?
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.
Rava idli is a dish made with semolina. So do not get confused in this.
Why upma turns sticky?
If the sooji is not roasted well, the upma turns sticky. Also cook thoroughly, uncooked upma also will be sticky.
Some FAQs:
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 sauteeing onion or add puree from tomato to make it tomato upma.
- Grated mango can also be added to make it mango 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.
Secret for tasty upma:
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.
Recipe card
Rava Upma recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Rava/ semolina
- 2 & ¼ cup Water Refer notes
- 1 Onion
- 4 to 5 Green chillies
- 1 sprig Curry leaves
- 2 teaspoon Coconut Oil
- Salt
To temper
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- ½ tablespoon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon Urad dal
- 1 tablespoon Chana dal
- 1 sprig Curry leaves
Instructions
- Heat a kadai/pan and dry roast rava in medium flame until a roasted smell of rava wafts. Don’t let it change colour, so keep the flame to medium always and keep roasting. The rava will become non sticky and free flowing if roasted correctly. Set aside.
- Mean while, slit green chillies, slice onion length wise. In the same kadai, add oil and temper with the items given under ‘To temper’ table.
- Add green chillies, onion and fry till transparent without changing its colour.
- Pour in water and salt, bring it to boil. Check for salt.
- Add the roasted rava in a sprinkled way as well as stirring side by side.
- Will splutter a lot so be careful with it. Mix well, it will soon become thick absorbing water.
- Cook covered bringing the flame to low.
- After 5-6 minutes the upma should be done. Mix in between if needed.
- Garnish with coconut oil (optional).
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 even add only 2 cups sometimes and keep the flame in low and cook properly.
- If you want it more on a ‘lumpy’ side, add as much as 3 cups of water. Its your choice.
- You can add finely chopped ginger, carrots along with onions.
- Vegetables also can be added, but I rather give a difference between upma and rava kichadi, so I make upma plain and enjoy the rava flavour fullest!
- This is very basic recipe and add you own ingredients to make it in your version.
- If you want the upma on tangy side, you can add chopped tomatoes or squeeze lemon towards the end.
How to make rava upma step by step method:
- Heat a kadai/pan and dry roast rava in medium flame until a roasted smell of rava wafts. Don’t let it change colour, so keep the flame to medium always and keep roasting. The rava will become non sticky and free flowing if roasted correctly. Set aside.
- Mean while, slit green chillies, slice onion length wise. In the same kadai, add oil and temper with the items given under ‘To temper’ table. Add green chillies, onion and fry till transparent without changing its colour.
- Pour in the water and salt, bring it to boil. Check for salt. Add the roasted rava in a srinkled way as well as stirring side by side.
- Will splutter a lot so be careful with it. Mix well, it will soon become thick absorbing water.
- Cook covered bringing the flame to low. After 5-6 minutes the upma should be done. Mix in between if needed. Garnish with coconut oil (optional).
I just love to eat it plain, with out any side, but if you want, you can try it with any chutney or tastes best with sugar!
Sowmya D.S.L
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Sowmya D.S.L
natural light pic.. excellent one!! love all ur recipes.. :)I too love upma with sugar ... 🙂
Nagalakshmi V
i add some vegetables too but otherwise follow the same method 🙂
Sudha Sabarish
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
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
Simple breakfast, I prepare this when I am alone.
Nandita SS
Simple yet wholesome breakfast!!! Loved it 🙂
Shobha Kamath
Nice and simple. I prepare it the same way and sometimes without onions too.
Beautifully presented.
Veena Theagarajan
I follow same method. simple satisfying breakfast
http://great-secret-of-life.blogspot.com
Jeyashrisuresh
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
No one in my family is great fan of Upma but I love it.
Sharmilee! :)
I also wonder why people dont like upma...I love it so much. Nice clicks and lighting too..perfectly cooked upma too!!
Kadhyaa
Raks I love this upma with sugar 🙂
Dhanish Kumar
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
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
Looks so yum....super clicks tooo..
Amina
healthy and delicious breakfast recipe...
Aruna Manikandan
an easy breakfast to prepare,love to have with coconut chutney 🙂
APARNARAJESHKUMAR
pictures are good only raks ! sour curd 🙂 is another option for side dish ! nothing can beat Sugar ! loved it !
Sanoli Ghosh
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
A quick and easy breakfast to enjoy,i dont even need a side dish.
BDSN
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
Quick break in a hurry morning..love to have with idly podi..
Gayu
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
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
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
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
Thanks a lot 🙂
Apu
Super!! Loving it!!
venki
super upma
Dinkar
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
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
Yes you sure can replace water with milk.
Eyeyoungcar
Thank you Raks for the pictorial recipe. I followed your recipe meticulously and prepared Rava Upma just now and it came out delicious.
prajakta
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
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
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
When I have time, I add grated coconut just before pouring water. It gives a nice crunch.
Aish Siva
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
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
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
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
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
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
hye rak's wat is d diffence b/w rawa upma n rawa khichdi?????
Raks anand
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
I am so so happy to read this comment 🙂 Glad the points I shared really help someone 😀 Yay