Traditional Recipe for Rava Upma
Upma is a tasty and nutritious South Indian breakfast that doubles up as a delicious snack throughout the day! This low-cholesterol, low-calorie recipe for Rava Upma is packed with iron, protein, vitamins, fiber and healthy fats.
Described as a thick vegetarian porridge, upma consists of wholesome semolina, rich spices, fresh curry leaves and sautéed cashews. Semolina, known as rava in Tamil, is a course wheat flour that is also used in couscous, desserts and certain pastas.
By adding lentils and/or vegetables such as carrots and peas, this dish can also become a meal for lunch or dinner.
Enjoy this simple and easy-to-follow recipe!
Recipe for Rava Upma
Level: Easy
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 2 portions
INGREDIENTS
1 Tablespoon Ghee or Butter
A few whole Cashews
1 Tsp Groundnut Oil
½ Tsp Mustard Seeds
A few Curry Leaves
A couple whole Red Chilies
¾ cup Rava (Semolina)
Water
Salt to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat the butter/ghee in a pot. Sauté the cashews. Then set them aside.
In the same pot, heat the groundnut oil. Add the mustard seeds. When they start popping, add the red chilies and curry leaves. Sauté.
Add 2 cups of water and salt to taste. Bring it to a boil.
Then lower the heat and add the rava, stirring constantly.
Once the mixture cooks and the consistency becomes fluffy and non-sticky, remove from the stove and serve on a plate.
Garnish with the sautéed cashews. Serve hot.
Upma is great with coconut or mint chutney, pickles, yoghurt, podi (a spiced chutney powder) or even a sweet mix of sugar and ghee. Traditionally, it is accompanied by a freshly brewed cup of coffee or tea. What a great way to start the day!
What are your favourite accompaniments or preparation tips for Upma? Leave your comments and suggestions below!
Andrea,
This recipe sounds really good and simple. Rava looks like couscous – is it similar to that in taste and texture?
It’s neat to know this is a traditional breakfast in India. I always like to know what other countries eat for breakfast. Definitely different from our normal breakfast of a couple of eggs.
I’ll have to try this one day! Thanks for sharing!
Katrina
Hi Katrina! Rava is actually semolina. And yes, it is similar to couscous.
Hope you enjoy it!
Hey Andrea,
I have heard so many people talk about Upma but never had a chance to try it myself! Now I can make it myself, thanks to your easy-to-follow recipe! I just don’t know what “groundnut” oil is. I will probably substitute that for the oil I have on hand!
Thanks so much for this recipe!
Cheers,
Sasha
Groundnut oil is peanut oil. But if you’d like to use walnut oil or coconut oil, that would work just as well. Enjoy!
Hello Andrea!
This recipe looks great! I’ve never heard of this dish before, but I really want to try it! It really looks like a very nutritious and energetic breakfast. I love couscous and also cashew nuts, so I’m sure I’d like it.
Personally, I’d like to serve it with coconut chutney. I love coconut, but I’ve never tried coconut chutney and I’m curious. As a drink I would definitely choose tea. I like it very much and I think it would go very well with it.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! It doesn’t seem too complicated, so I take a note to try it.
Best regards
Marta
You’re welcome Marta, bon appetit!
That sounds delicious. Where can I find rava? Is it commonly sold in Indian groceries? I follow a whole-food plant-based diet and am always on the lookout for interesting recipes.
I try to avoid oil, so do suggest any substitutions!
Thanks for sharing.
Rava is semolina. You should be able to find it in any major grocery store. And they are always available in Indian grocery stores too.
You can use ghee, margarine, butter or shortening as a substitute for oil.
Hope you like it!
Interesting. I must say that I was expecting something different when you said “porridge.” This looks like a meal that would prevent the spike in blood sugar. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome Josephine!
Wow, Andrea! That sounds so yummy! I love Indian cuisine, and especially curry. I have taken a photo and will surely try this dish. I also love that it is so healthy. Thank you very much! I can’t wait to prepare it for my husband and me. And I will share your site!
Blessings, Sylvia
Great! Enjoy, Sylvia!
Hi Andrea,
The photograph in the article made me stop to read when I stumbled on this site. Rava Upma looks absolutely delicious!
The recipe is simple and doesn’t require a long list of rare items which I find is a bonus. I know what semolina is , but the final dish does look very much like couscous as someone asked. However, it probably will be a lot more moist in texture.
Can’t wait to try this!
Ceci
It is a simple and easy-to-make dish indeed! And yes, upma is more moist than couscous.
Enjoy!