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Kadai & wok

Simple Upma

Roasted semolina simmered soft with a mustard-and-curry-leaf tempering, finished with peanuts and a squeeze of lemon.

25 min total
20 min hands on
4 serves
A kadai or any heavy-bottomed pan with a lid equipment

Ingredients & method

Method

Amounts inside the steps follow the servings dial, so you never have to hold the arithmetic in your head.

  1. Dry-roast the semolina

    Heat a kadai over medium heat and dry-roast the 1 cup Semolina (rava/sooji), stirring constantly, until it turns light golden and smells nutty. Tip it out onto a plate.

    Roasting coats each grain in a light toast so the upma stays fluffy and separate instead of turning into a sticky paste once the water goes in.

  2. Temper the spices

    In the same kadai, heat 2 tbsp Ghee (or vegetable oil) and add the 1 tsp Mustard seed. Once they splutter, add the 1 tsp Urad dal (split black gram) and 1 tsp Chana dal (split Bengal gram) and fry until light golden.

    Frying the dals in hot fat gives upma its characteristic crunch and nutty background flavour.

  3. Add the aromatics

    Add the 1 Curry leaf, 2 Green chili and 10 g Ginger, and fry for a few seconds, then add the 1 Onion and cook until soft and translucent.

    Softening the onion fully before the rava goes in stops it staying raw and crunchy inside the finished upma.

  4. Bring the water to a boil

    Pour in the 2½ cup Water and Salt to taste, and bring to a rolling boil.

    The water needs to be fully boiling before the rava goes in, or the grains clump instead of swelling evenly.

  5. Stir in the rava

    Lower the heat and slowly sprinkle in the roasted 1 cup Semolina (rava/sooji) with one hand while stirring continuously with the other, breaking up any lumps as you go.

    Adding the rava gradually while stirring is what keeps the upma lump-free.

  6. Cover and cook

    Cover the kadai and cook on low heat until the rava has absorbed all the water and turned soft and fluffy, stirring once halfway through.

    Steaming it covered lets the grains swell fully so the upma turns tender rather than gritty.

  7. Finish and serve

    Turn off the heat and fold in the 1 tbsp Roasted peanut, 2 tbsp Cilantro and a squeeze of 1 Lemon. Serve hot.

    Adding the peanuts and lemon juice at the end keeps them crunchy and bright instead of going soft in the heat.

Cook’s notes

Roast the rava until it's a shade or two darker and smells nutty – this is what keeps the finished upma from turning gluey.

Sprinkle the rava into the boiling water gradually while stirring; tipping it in all at once is what causes lumps.

For a vegan version, swap the ghee for a neutral oil.

Health benefits

  • Semolina is a complex carbohydrate, so it digests more slowly than refined cereal or white bread and avoids a sharp blood-sugar spike.
  • The dish is naturally cholesterol-free at its base and low in added sugar.
  • Semolina contributes iron, magnesium and B vitamins that support energy metabolism.
  • The light tempering of dals adds a little extra protein and helps this stay filling for its calories.

General information about the ingredients, not advice about you. Nothing here is a medical or dietary recommendation, and no dish treats or prevents any condition. If you are managing a health condition, pregnant, or on a prescribed diet, ask a doctor or a dietitian.

Cons & who should be cautious

  • Made from wheat semolina, so this dish is not suitable for coeliac disease or a gluten sensitivity - a rice-rava or millet-rava version can be substituted.
  • Most of the fat and a good share of the calories come from the ghee or oil in the tempering rather than the semolina itself; using a lighter hand with the fat brings calories down noticeably.
  • Rava is a refined grain rather than a whole grain, so those managing diabetes should keep portions moderate and pair it with a protein side.
  • This simple version has little protein and no vegetables, so it is best paired with a lentil-based side (like sambar) or extra vegetables for a fuller meal, especially for growing children.
  • Keep an eye on added salt if managing blood pressure, since it is easy to over-salt a starchy dish like this.

Not a complete allergen declaration. Ingredient lists describe what we used and cannot account for cross-contamination or what your particular brand contains, so check the packaging of everything you cook with.

Nutrition facts (estimated)

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