South Indian · Breakfast

Vegetable upma

Adding vegetables turns simple upma into a complete, filling breakfast. Cut them small so they cook in the same time as the rava, and you'll get a colorful bowl with a little crunch in every bite.

  • Prep10 min
  • Cook20 min
  • Total30 min
  • Servings3
Vegetable upma with carrot, green peas and beans in a bowl on a banana leaf

Ingredients

Tap an ingredient to tick it off as you cook.

Method

  1. Dry-roast the rava in a heavy pan on medium-low heat for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until it smells nutty but is still pale. Transfer to a plate.
  2. Heat the ghee or oil in the pan and add the mustard seeds. When they splutter, add the urad dal and chana dal and fry until golden.
  3. Add the curry leaves, green chilies, ginger and onion. Sauté for about 3 minutes, until the onion is soft.
  4. Add the carrot, peas and beans and sauté for 3–4 minutes, until they start to soften.
  5. Pour in the water, add salt and bring to a rolling boil.
  6. Turn the heat to low and pour in the rava in a thin stream with one hand while stirring with the other, so no lumps form.
  7. Cover and cook on low for 2–3 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Stir in the 1 tsp ghee, the coriander and the lemon juice and serve hot.

Tips

  • Dice the vegetables small and evenly so they cook at the same speed.
  • Frozen mixed vegetables work too: add them straight to the pan without thawing.

Serve with

Coconut chutney or tomato chutney.

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