Indian & South Asian · Breakfast · Snack
Vegetable Upma
உப்புமா (Uppuma)
A comforting South Indian breakfast of toasted semolina simmered with mustard seeds, curry leaves, ginger and plenty of colourful vegetables. It is light, fluffy and brightened with a squeeze of lemon.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Serves
- 4
Calories come from: Carbs 69% · Fat 17% · Protein 14%
Track it in BerryFit and see how it fits your own daily target. Get the app ›
Ingredients
For 4 servings- 1 cup170 gCoarse semolina (rava/sooji)
- 1 tbsp14 gVegetable oil
- 1 tspBlack mustard seeds
- 1 tbsp12 gUrad dal (split black gram)
- 1 tbsp12 gChana dal (split Bengal gram)
- 1 tbsp10 gRaw cashews, halved (optional)
- 12 leavesFresh curry leaves
- 2 small10 gGreen chillies, slit
- 1 tbsp6 gFresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 medium110 gOnion, finely chopped
- 1 medium60 gCarrot, finely diced
- 1/2 cup50 gGreen beans, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup70 gFrozen green peas
- 3 cups710 gWater
- 1 tsp6 gSalt
- 2 tbspFresh coriander leaves, chopped
- 1 tbsp15 gLemon juice
Steps
- 1
Toast the semolina in a dry wide pan over medium-low heat, stirring often, for 6-8 minutes until it smells nutty and looks pale golden; tip onto a plate.
- 2
Heat the oil in the same pan over medium heat and add the mustard seeds.
- 3
When the seeds start to pop, add the urad dal, chana dal and cashews (if using) and stir until light golden, about 1 minute.
- 4
Add the curry leaves, green chillies and ginger and stir for 30 seconds.
- 5
Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes until soft and translucent.
- 6
Stir in the carrot, green beans and peas and cook for 3 minutes.
- 7
Pour in the water, add the salt and bring to a boil; simmer for 2 minutes so the vegetables are just tender.
- 8
Lower the heat and pour in the toasted semolina in a thin stream, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
- 9
Keep stirring for 1-2 minutes until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the sides.
- 10
Cover and cook on the lowest heat for 3 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave covered for 2 minutes.
- 11
Fluff with a spoon, stir in the lemon juice and coriander, and serve hot.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- For a gluten-free version, use broken millet or quinoa instead of semolina and choose dals labelled gluten-free, since the dals can pick up traces of wheat during processing.
- Leave out the cashews to make the dish nut-free, or use toasted pumpkin seeds for crunch.
- Use a frozen mixed vegetable blend instead of chopping the carrot, beans and peas separately for an easier shop.
- Squeeze in lime juice instead of lemon for a slightly sharper finish, as shown in the photo.
Storage
Upma is best eaten fresh because it firms up as it cools, but leftovers can be refrigerated within 2 hours in a covered container for 3 to 4 days. Reheat with a splash of water, stirring until steaming hot, and avoid freezing, as the texture turns pasty.
Make ahead
Toast the semolina up to a week ahead, let it cool and keep it in an airtight jar at room temperature. You can also chop the onion, carrot and beans the night before and keep them covered in the fridge.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
Track this in BerryFit
Log Vegetable Upma in one tap and see how it fits your remaining calories for today.
Or ask Coach Berry to change it
Allergens and nutrition
Contains: GlutenMustardTree nuts
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (313 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 248 kcal | 79 kcal |
| Protein | 8.7 g | 2.8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 42.9 g | 13.7 g |
| of which sugars | 3.8 g | 1.2 g |
| Fiber | 4.8 g | 1.5 g |
| Fat | 4.7 g | 1.5 g |
| of which saturated | 0.4 g | 0.1 g |
| Sodium | 624 mg | 199 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
