Upma Recipe | How to Make Soft, Fluffy Upma

A good Upma recipe is something that every cook, or an aspiring one, must have in their back-pockets. Which is to say that this is one basic recipe that everyone who loves to cook should master. So it’s a good thing then that this is really simple & easy to do, right? In-fact, with a fail-proof recipe, you can make soft, fluffy, melt-in-mouth Upma in a matter of minutes, depending on whether you have roasted rava/semolina or not.

But more on that in the recipe. Though I have to say that even without roasted semolina, this is a relatively simple & easy dish to make, if you are looking for something really quick, delicious, AND healthy. That in my book is a win-win-win!

However, I have to confess, growing up, I never used to like Upma much, even though my mom made (and still makes) the BEST UPMA EVER! I now cannot recollect what was it exactly that I was averse to, but I remember a general dislike towards the dish. And also remember making Maggi for myself instead whenever Upma was made at home. Maybe I was just looking for excuses to make Maggi? Yeah, that could be it. Kids, I tell you! 😀

Anyway, eventually I did start eating Upma, and actually enjoying it, in all its many variations. However, the more I ate Upma at different places, I realized I have some specific preferences when it comes to the texture of Upma. I like my Upma relatively soft and fluffy, and not hard and chunky.

Which is why when I first started making Upma- that was my one goal. To figure out how to make soft, fluffy upma, that will melt in your mouth. So that is something that I figured out first, even before I worked on how I liked my Upma in terms of taste.

And in my experience, the one variable that determines how soft and fluffy the upma is, is the ratio of water to rava/semolina. After starting at 2:1 and increasing incrementally, I have found that 3:1 water to semolina is the perfect ratio for getting the soft, fluffy, melt-in-mouth Upma every single time.

I have listed the exact measurement & steps in the recipe, so you can enjoy this soft, fluffy, super delicious Upma too. Hope you like it as much as I do.

If you are looking for Quick and Easy Breakfast Ideas, you must also check out this Kanda Poha Recipe – really delicious & ready in minutes!

Pin Recipe for Later: Quick & Easy Fluffy Upma Recipe

Upma Recipe | Rava Upma | Sooji Upma | Konkani Rulaav

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★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Shantala Shenoy Nayak
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 20 mins
• Yield: Serves 2-3
• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Indian

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Ingredients

• Sada Rava/Semolina – 1 cup
• Melted Ghee – 3 tablespoons
• Urad Dal/Split Matpe Beans – 1.5 teaspoon
• Rai/Mustard Seeds – 1 teaspoon
• Green chili – 1 (split vertically in two)
• Cadipatta/Curry Leaves – 4 leaves
• Adrak/ Ginger chopped – 1.5 tablespoon
• Salt – 1 teaspoon
• Sugar – 2 teaspoons
• Grated Coconut (optional) – 1/4 cup
• Hot boiling water – 3 cups

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Instructions

1. In a pan, heat the ghee, and add in the urad dal/split matpe beans, and mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds start popping, add in the green chili, and curry leaves, and let them roast for a couple of minutes.
2. Then add the chopped ginger, and saute for 3-4 minutes, till the ginger is fried well.
3. Once that is done, add in the rava/semolina, mix it well, and saute it till the semolina is well roasted. This might take some time (depending on the type of semolina – 5-10 minutes), but it’s important that the semolina is roasted well.

   It’s also important to keep stirring, as the semolina is getting roasted, to avoid it getting burnt, and ensuring it gets an even roast. Once done, semolina will change color slightly (turn dark cream/golden), and leave a light fragrance. However ensure to not let the semolina turn brown.

4. Once the semolina is roasted, add 1 tsp salt, and 2 tsp sugar, and mix it well.
5. Then, lowering the flame for a bit, add in 3 cups of hot boiling water, and keep stirring continuously. This might seem like a lot of water, but the semolina is going to soak up all the moisture, and dry out. So, unless you prefer your upma really hard, 1:3 is a good ratio of semolina to water.
6. This is optional, but if you like, at the point, as the semolina is in the process of solidifying, you can also add in 1/4 cup grated coconut.
7. Once the semolina soaks up all the excess moisture, and starts leaving ghee on the sides, the upma is ready to serve.

Notes

• You can substitute ghee with oil. I always prefer ghee because it tastes better to me.
• The time for roasting the semolina will vary, depending on the type of semolina and the size of granules too. Thicker granules will require longer cooking/roasting time.
• You can always buy roasted semolina from the market, but that will need to be roasted a bit too (though not nearly as much as unroasted semolina). I usually go with the unroasted variety, because I need unroasted semolina for many other recipes, and don’t want to stock two different kinds of semolina when I can make do with one.
• When you add in the hot boiling water, to the roasted semolina, it will cause a lot of splatter. So ensure to lower the flame (or even switch it off) for a bit, and maybe hold a splatter screen on top to contain the splatter.
• If you prefer your upma on the harder side, you can go with 2 cups of water to 1 cup of semolina, instead of 3:1 ratio that I used here.
• You can eat this Upma as is, along with your hot beverage of choice, or pair it with coconut/peanut chutney or even crisps. I usually like to eat my Upma with sev, and sometimes chips. Just a personal preference.

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I’ve done my very best to share the exact measurements, and outline every step, but if something is not clear to you, or you have questions about quantities or alternatives, or anything at all, feel free to ask in the comments. I promise to reply to every single query.

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