Degchi
Upma
Serves 4 · Total 30 min · Prep 10 min · Cook 20 min
Dry-roasted semolina cooked quickly with tempered mustard seeds, curry leaves, onion and vegetables. A South Indian breakfast staple that's ready in 20 minutes and endlessly adaptable to whatever vegetables are on hand.
Quick answer: 30 min in total · serves 4 · main ingredients: Semolina, Cooking oil, Mustard seeds, Onion · amounts in metric and US
Ingredients
- 200 g 7 oz Semolina
- 3 tbsp 3 tbsp Cooking oil
- 1 tsp 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- 1 pc 1 pc Onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp 1 tsp Salt, to taste
- 10 pc 10 pc Curry leaves (Optional)
- 2 pc 2 pc Green chilli, chopped (Optional)
- 1 pc 1 pc Carrot, diced (Optional)
- 50 g 0.3 cup Green peas (Optional)
- 1 tbsp 1 tbsp Lemon, juice (Optional)
Steps
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- Dry-roast the semolina in a pan on low heat until lightly golden and fragrant; set aside.⏱ Roasting semolina · 5 min
- Heat oil in the same pan; temper mustard seeds and curry leaves until they crackle.⏱ Tempering the spices · 1 min
- Add onion and green chilli; fry until the onion softens.⏱ Frying the onion · 3 min
- Add diced carrot and peas; cook for 3 minutes.⏱ Cooking carrot and peas · 3 min
- Add 4 cups of water and salt; bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat and slowly stir in the roasted semolina in a thin stream, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 3 minutes until the water is absorbed and the upma is fluffy.⏱ Steaming upma · 3 min
- Squeeze over lemon juice and serve hot.
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Frequently asked questions
How long does Upma take?
30 minutes in total: about 10 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking.
Is Upma hard to make?
Degchi rates it easy. The method has 8 steps, and 5 of them have a timer you can start on this page.
How many people does Upma serve?
This recipe serves 4. Use the toggle above the ingredient list to see the amounts in metric or US measures. For more or fewer portions, scale every amount in the same proportion, or use the servings control in the Degchi app.
Is Upma halal, vegetarian or eggless?
It is marked halal in our recipe data. It is vegetarian. It has no egg. It has no beef. Check the labels on any packaged ingredients for your own needs.
What will I probably need to buy for Upma?
Everyday staples that Degchi counts as pantry basics: cooking oil, salt. Spice-box items: mustard seeds. Fresh items you will probably need to buy: onion. Lentils, grains and other dry goods: semolina.
Any tips for making Upma?
Adding the semolina in a thin stream while stirring is the only way to avoid lumps — never dump it all at once.
Notes and questions
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Upma is five ingredients and about 20 minutes, yet it turns into paste in many kitchens. Roasting, water and how you stir decide everything.
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Cooking terms in this recipe: Sooji (semolina)
