Upma is made with roasted sooji or semolina along with a few vegetables, onions, green peas, dals, and other spices. It is very easy to make upma at home. My recipe will guide you through the process.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Upma is a healthy snack popular across all regions of India, especially in south India.
- Serve it hot as is or with coconut chutney, sambar or pickle.
- Upma tastes mildly savory, spicy, and nutty.
- Other similar recipes are rava kesari, poha, and vermicelli upma.
The Ingredients:
- 1 cup semolina (sooji)
- 3 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds (rai)
- 1 tsp urad dal
- 1 tbsp chana dal
- 1 piece dry red chili
- 12 pieces cashew nuts
- Curry leaves – a handful
- 1 piece onion (medium-sized, finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 2 pieces green chilies (finely chopped)
- Green peas – a handful
- Carrot – a handful (finely chopped)
- 3 cups water
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
I got this recipe during a free yoga session in our community park. After class, the instructor shared healthy eating tips and mentioned this dish. I stayed back to ask her more, and she gladly explained.
I tried it that evening. My husband said it was “light yet filling,” and my sons were surprised they enjoyed a “yoga-type” meal. Now, this is our midweek wellness dinner. That morning reminded me that recipes are not always about indulgence—sometimes they come wrapped in calm voices and post-stretches, carrying mindfulness and nourishment together in every bite.
How to Make Upma? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: Dry roast 1 cup of semolina (sooji) in a kadai for about a minute, stirring continuously, until you smell the aroma. Transfer it onto a plate and let it cool down.
Step 2: Now, heat 3 tbsp of cooking oil in the kadai on a medium flame, and when the oil is hot, add 1 tsp of mustard seeds (rai), 1 tsp of urad dal, 1 tbsp of chana dal, and 1 piece of dry red chili. Stir fry them until they change color. Then add 12 pieces of cashew nuts and fry them till golden brown as well. Follow it with a handful of fresh curry leaves and let them also fry a bit.
Step 3: Now, add a piece of finely chopped onion (medium size) to it and fry until the onion becomes translucent. Now, add 1 tbsp of grated ginger, 2 pieces of green chilies (finely chopped), a handful of finely chopped carrots and green peas. Stir and fry them all for a minute or two on a medium flame. Then add 3 cups of water to it along with salt to taste and let it come to a boil.
Step 4: When the water comes to a boil, turn the flame of the gas stove to low and add the roasted sooji to it. Stir it continuously until all the water is absorbed by the sooji.
Step 5: Cover the kadai and let it cook on a low flame for 3 to 4 minutes.
Step 6: Remove the cover after 4 minutes and add 1 tbsp of ghee or clarified butter to it. Give it a final mix.
Step 7: Your tasty and healthy homemade upma is ready. Transfer it to a plate and serve it hot with coconut chutney.
Recipe Card
Upma
Ingredients
- 1 cup semolina sooji
- 3 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds rai
- 1 tsp urad dal
- 1 tbsp chana dal
- 1 piece dry red chili
- 12 pieces cashew nuts
- Curry leaves – a handful
- 1 piece onion medium-sized, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 2 pieces green chilies finely chopped
- Green peas – a handful
- Carrot – a handful finely chopped
- 3 cups water
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp ghee clarified butter
Instructions
- Dry roast 1 cup of semolina (sooji) in a kadai for about a minute, stirring continuously, until you smell the aroma. Transfer it onto a plate and let it cool down.
- Now, heat 3 tbsp of cooking oil in the kadai on a medium flame, and when the oil is hot, add 1 tsp of mustard seeds (rai), 1 tsp of urad dal, 1 tbsp of chana dal, and 1 piece of dry red chili. Stir fry them until they change color. Then add 12 pieces of cashew nuts and fry them till golden brown as well. Follow it with a handful of fresh curry leaves and let them also fry a bit.
- Now, add a piece of finely chopped onion (medium size) to it and fry until the onion becomes translucent. Now, add 1 tbsp of grated ginger, 2 pieces of green chilies (finely chopped), a handful of finely chopped carrots and green peas. Stir and fry them all for a minute or two on a medium flame. Then add 3 cups of water to it along with salt to taste and let it come to a boil.
- When the water comes to a boil, turn the flame of the gas stove to low and add the roasted sooji to it. Stir it continuously until all the water is absorbed by the sooji.
- Cover the kadai and let it cook on a low flame for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Remove the cover after 4 minutes and add 1 tbsp of ghee or clarified butter to it. Give it a final mix.
- Your tasty and healthy homemade upma is ready. Transfer it to a plate and serve it hot with coconut chutney.
