Upma: A Favorite Indian Breakfast

Upma: A Favorite Indian Breakfast

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 4 serving

No matter where you go in India, upma is a very popular breakfast. It originated in South India but is also found in Maharashtra and Sri Lanka. Essentially, upma is a thick, porridge-like breakfast dish that is made from coarse rice flour or semolina that has been dry-roasted. It's extremely versatile, so don't be afraid to experiment with ingredients and flavors.

This tasty dish can be eaten for breakfast, brunch, or as a snack and is so wholesome you can even make a full meal of it.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for upma

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. To begin, heat a griddle pan or skillet on medium heat and roast the semolina lightly. Stir the semolina frequently and do not allow it to brown.

    Toast semolina in a skillet

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Once done, place semolina on a platter and put aside.

    Place toasted semolina on a platter

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, and green chiles.

    Toast spices in a pan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Add the grated ginger and stir well. Cook for 1 minute.

    Add grated ginger to the pan to the pan with the spices

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Add the onion and fry it until it is both translucent and soft.

    add onions to the pan with the spices

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Add the tomatoes and cook until they are soft.

    add tomatoes to the onion and spice mixture in the pan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Add the hot water, turmeric, and salt to taste, and bring to a boil.

    water, turmeric, and salt added to the onion mixture in the pan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  9. Add the toasted semolina, a little at a time, stirring constantly to prevent any lumps from forming.

    semolina added to the spices in the pan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  10. Simmer and cook until the upma is like a very thick porridge. Turn off the flame.

    semolina mixture cooking in a pan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  11. Squeeze the lime juice over the upma and mix well.

    Squeeze lime juice over upma

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  12. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve piping hot.

    Upma: A Favorite Indian Breakfast in a pan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  13. Enjoy!

Recipe Variations

  • As mentioned, upma is a versatile dish so there are many variations of it. It can include rice, vermicelli, or pearl sago.
  • Veggies and beans can be added to it, and some types will include cashews and peanuts.
  • Masala upma, also known as kharabath, includes sambar masala or garam masala as well as red chili powder. 
  • Another variation of it contains grated coconut. That is common on holy days or at other times when people avoid eating onions. Typically, it is also tossed in ghee before serving.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
260 Calories
8g Fat
41g Carbs
7g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 260
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 10%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 160mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 41g 15%
Dietary Fiber 4g 14%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 50mg 249%
Calcium 60mg 5%
Iron 3mg 18%
Potassium 458mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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