Vegetable RavaUpma (Sooji Upma, Savory Semolina Porridge) is a popular Indian breakfast dish made using fine semolina, onions, mild spices, and a few more ingredients. It is filling and nutritious and comes together in under 20 minutes. My recipe makes the best fluffy and non-sticky upma in a jiffy.
Heat 1 teaspoon ghee in a pan over medium-low heat.
Add rava to the pan and mix it well with the ghee by stirring and mashing the clumps with the back of a ladle.
Roast the rava until it turns very light brown (3-4 minutes). Stir continuously so it roasts evenly without getting burned at the bottom of the pan.
Do not over-roast the sooji; otherwise, the upma will turn dark.
Transfer the roasted rava to a plate and keep it aside.
Do not leave roasted sooji in the pan otherwise, it will keep browning from the heat of the pan.
Make The Upma
Wipe the same pan with a paper towel to get rid of any rava sticking to it and add the remaining ghee to it. Heat it over medium-high heat.
Once the ghee is hot, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, black lentils, Bengal gram, and cashew nuts, and saute until they turn slightly brown (1-2 minutes).
Add onions, green chilies, and ginger, and cook until the onions turn pinkish (2-3 minutes). Stir frequently.
Add carrots, green beans, and green peas and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir frequently.
I like my veggies crunchy, so I cook them for very little time. If you like them soft, then cover the pan and cook for 6-8 minutes until they are tender.
Now add hot water, sugar, salt, and lime juice to the pan and bring the mixture to a boil.
To check if the salt is enough for your taste, taste the water. If you like the saltiness, it is fine, otherwise, add more salt as per your liking.
Reduce the heat to low.
Slowly add the roasted suji and keep mixing while adding to avoid the formation of lumps. Make sure to mix it well and take care that there are no lumps. Preferably mix in one direction.
Cover the pan with a lid. Covering the pan is important as it will let the semolina soak up the water and become soft.
Cook for 5-8 minutes on low heat until sooji absorbs the water and is cooked completely.
Remove the pan from heat and let it rest for 4-5 minutes with the lid on.
Remove the lid, fluff with a fork, garnish with cilantro and serve hot.
Roasting semolina properly is very important. If not roasted properly, it might turn sticky when mixed with water. It is important to add a little ghee while roasting the semolina.Adding cold water can make the upma sticky. So make sure to add roasted rava in boiling water.Do not skimp on ghee. It is crucial to make fluffy nonsticky upma.