Mumbai street food · Vegetarian

Mumbai-Style
Vegetable Upma

Soft, savoury semolina cooked with vegetables, aromatic spices, curry leaves and a touch of lemon.

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Mumbai-Style Vegetable Upma
4 servingsserves
25 minutestotal time
Easydifficulty
Indiancuisine

The recipe

Comforting, flavourful and made at home.

A comforting, filling breakfast that comes together quickly and is perfect with a cup of chai.

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 1 cup semolina (rava/suji)
  • 2 tbsp oil or ghee
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp urad dal
  • 8–10 curry leaves
  • 1–2 green chillies
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 small carrot, diced
  • ½ cup green peas
  • 3 cups water
  • Salt, coriander and lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp roasted cashews, optional

Method

  1. Roast the semolina. Dry-roast semolina over low heat for 4–5 minutes until aromatic. Transfer it to a bowl.
  2. Temper the aromatics. Heat oil or ghee. Crackle mustard seeds, then add cumin, urad dal, curry leaves, chilli and ginger.
  3. Cook the vegetables. Add onion, carrot and peas. Sauté until the onion is soft and the vegetables are tender.
  4. Cook the upma. Add water and salt and bring to a boil. Slowly add semolina while stirring continuously. Cook 5–7 minutes until thick.
  5. Finish and serve. Stir in lemon juice, coriander and cashews. Serve hot.