Upma
A savory South Indian breakfast made from dry-roasted semolina cooked with mustard seeds, curry leaves, onion, and green chili into a fluffy, warmly spiced porridge that comes together in minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 cup coarse semolina (rava or cream of wheat)
- 2 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
- 1 tsp black or brown mustard seeds
- 1 tbsp chana dal (split chickpeas) or yellow split peas
- 1 tbsp urad dal (split black gram) or chana dal
- 1 cup yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 green chili (serrano or jalapeno), finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 12 leaves fresh or dried curry leaves
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 cups water
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
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1
Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup coarse semolina (rava or cream of wheat) and toast, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes until lightly golden and fragrant. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
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2
In the same pan, heat 2 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or canola) over medium heat. Add 1 tsp black or brown mustard seeds and let them sputter for 30 seconds. Add 1 tbsp chana dal (split chickpeas) or yellow split peas and 1 tbsp urad dal (split black gram) or chana dal and stir-fry until light golden, about 1 minute.
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3
Add 12 leaves fresh or dried curry leaves (stand back — they splutter), 2 finely chopped green chili (serrano or jalapeno), 1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger, and 1 cup finely diced yellow onion. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
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4
Pour in 2 cups water and 3/4 tsp salt. Increase heat and bring to a rolling boil.
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5
Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour in the toasted coarse semolina (rava or cream of wheat) in a thin, steady stream, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Continue stirring for 2-3 minutes until the semolina absorbs all the water and the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan.
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6
Remove from heat. Stir in 2 tsp fresh lemon juice and garnish with 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro. Serve hot.