Vegetable Rava Upma (One‑pan South Indian Semolina Upma)
A classic South Indian breakfast made in one pan — toasted semolina cooked with a simple tempering and mixed vegetables. Fast, savory, and minimal cleanup.
AI image30 min
start to finish
10 min
hands on
Easy
difficulty
4
servings
Ingredients
Main
Tempering
Vegetables & aromatics
Seasoning
Finishing
Optional
Contains gluten. Cooking for an allergy? Check the label on every packet you use — brands differ, and we can only tell you what the recipe calls for.
Roughly, per serving
320 kcal9g protein46g carbs9g fat
An estimate, not a lab analysis.
Method
Heat a wide heavy-bottomed skillet or saucepan over medium heat and add the semolina (rava).
Dry-roast the semolina, stirring constantly, until it smells fragrant and the color turns a shade darker — about 3–4 minutes. Transfer roasted semolina to a plate and set aside.
Roast until aromatic but not brown; this prevents a raw taste and avoids bitterness.
In the same pan, add the oil and heat over medium; when hot, add mustard seeds.
When the mustard seeds begin to pop, add chana dal, urad dal and dried red chili and fry until the dals are light golden (about 1 minute).
Add curry leaves and chopped onion and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 3–4 minutes.
Add minced ginger, green chili and the mixed vegetables; sauté, stirring, for 1–2 minutes to coat the veg in oil.
Pour the hot water into the pan, add salt, bring the water to a rolling boil.
Hot water prevents lumps when you add the semolina.
Lower the heat to medium-low. Slowly sprinkle the roasted semolina into the boiling water while stirring continuously with a wooden spoon to avoid lumps.
Cover the pan and simmer gently until the semolina absorbs the water and the vegetables are tender, about 3–5 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let the upma rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
Remove the lid, fluff the upma with a fork or spoon, stir in lemon juice (if using), cilantro and ghee (if using). Taste and adjust salt or lemon.
Serve hot directly from the pan or transfer to a serving bowl.
Worth knowing
- If you like a looser upma, add up to 1/2 cup more hot water when you add the semolina.
- Use pre-chopped frozen mixed vegetables to save prep time; add them frozen to the boiling water (no need to thaw).
- To make nutty crunch without tree-nuts, skip nuts and increase chana dal slightly.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat with a splash of water to loosen.
Make it yours
Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.
VegetarianVeganQuickOne pan
More South Indian cooking
An original Restaurant Pro recipe — our own composition in the idiom of South Indian cooking, not any restaurant's recipe. Written to be vegetarian and vegan as listed.