Vegetable Rava Upma – a simple vegan South Indian breakfast dish made with semolina, water and vegetables. Upma with vegetables is not only the most preferred breakfast but also makes a healthy dish to pack for the kids lunchbox.
This typical South Indian semolina upma is a healthy and tasty dish that gets ready quickly. It also makes an ideal and stress-free option to serve unexpected guests, as you can cook a large quantity in an IP with the same timer and settings.
Upma, also called uppittu, uppumaavu, is a filling and nutritious meal that tastes great with peanut coconut chutney, coconut coriander chutney or pickle such as tomato pachadi, allam pachadi, mango thokku, kobbari karam or podi as accompaniment.
Although the cooking time remains the same, IP takes extra time to come to pressure before the timer turns ON. IP works out the time based on the quantity in the pot.
This is a typical breakfast in most South Indian homes and makes an ideal and stress-free option to serve unexpected guests, as you can cook a large quantity in an IP with the same timer and settings.
Although the cooking time remains the same, IP takes extra time to come to pressure before the timer turns ON. IP works out the time based on the quantity in the pot.
Check out South Indian breakfast recipes on the blog – uggani, instant millet premix, ragi kanji, ragi malt, ragi nookalu ambali, appe, dosa and idli.
Notes on Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this simple South Indian vegetable rava upma. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
Spices and Lentils: The basic spices mustard seeds, cumin seeds and chana dal (yellow split peas) are required for this recipe.
Vegetables: I’ve used onion, tomato, ginger, green chillies, curry leaves, coriander, carrot, green beans and peas. Feel free to use other vegetables such as cabbage and corn.
Semolina: I’ve used a coarse variety ready roasted semolina, but feel free to use fine semolina. However, the water to semolina ratio and cook time might vary.
Liquids: Oil and water.
How to make rava upma?
(This is an overview with process photos, the full recipe is at the bottom in a recipe card)
Turn SAUTE mode ON and add oil.
Once the oil is hot, saute 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds, cumin followed by chana dal, ginger, chillies, curry leaves.
Next saute onion, carrot, beans and tomatoes.
CANCEL saute mode.
Stir in 1 cup semolina, 3 cups water, 1/3 cup green peas, salt and finely chopped coriander leaves.
Deglaze the pot and mix until all the ingredients are well combined.
Close the pot with a lid and turn the pressure valve to the SEALING position. Press PRESSURE COOK mode, set a timer to 6 minutes at HIGH PRESSURE.
After 10 minutes NPR, take the lid off the pot and stir the upma well.
Serve delicious vegetable rava upma with podi, chutney or spicy ginger chutney.
Vegetable Upma Recipe Variations
Vegetables: Try adding more vegetables, such as potatoes and cabbage, to make this sooji upma more nutritious and healthy.
Nuts: A handful of peanuts and/or cashews make a great addition and add a crunch to upma. Fry them along with chana dal.
Ghee: Stir in a spoonful of ghee/clarified butter after cooking upma. Ghee imparts a lovely flavour and enhances the taste. Alternatively, use half ghee and half oil for tadka and to cook vegetables. However, it won’t be a vegan dish.
Tips and Tricks to make perfect upma
Burn message: To prevent a BURN message, scrape the bottom of the pan well before you turn ON the PRESSURE COOK mode.
Spiciness: Adjust chillies to suit your preferred spice level.
Ratio: The water to semolina ratio may vary for fine semolina.
Cooking time: The cook time doesn’t include the time IP takes to build the pressure.
Different Quantity: If you are doubling up this recipe, you don’t have to double up the time. As a rule of thumb, the cooking time remains the same regardless of doubling or halving the recipe.
Pre roast rava: Usually, I store a batch of roasted rava that lasts for a couple of weeks. If you use unroasted rava, add it after sauteeing vegetables and saute it for 3- 4 minutes or until it turns aromatic. Cancel saute mode, add water and pressure cook as mentioned.
Storage
Fridge: Upma stays fresh for 2 days if stored properly in an airtight container in the fridge.
Reheat: Place the upma in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it in a microwave until piping hot. Take the bowl out of the microwave in between, stir well, put it back and continue heating.
More delicious south Indian recipes
Chilli Parotta: A classic spicy street-side dish from Tamil Nadu. Parotta cut into bite-sized pieces are tossed with onion, mixed peppers and spices.
Ven Pongal: A classic south Indian special dish prepared with rice, moong dal, a few essential spices and ghee (clarified butter).
Kothu Parotta: A shredded flaky multi-layered Indian flatbread stir-fried with assorted vegetables and essential spices.
Vegetable Chettinad: Flavourful vegan Indian curry made with homemade chettinad masala. It is a perfect dish to pair with chapati or rice and makes a wholesome midweek dinner.
Salna: Delicious street-side dish from Tamil Nadu made with onion, tomato and few basic pantry staples. A great side-dish to go with parotta, Idli, dosa and idiyappam.
Vegetable Sambar: Nutritious and protein-rich South Indian dish made of lentils, vegetables, tamarind and spices.
KEEP IN TOUCH
Do let me know if you make this South Indian vegetable rava upma recipe. If you like this recipe kindly consider rating it using stars in the comment section or on the recipe card to help more people find this recipe online. You can stay up to date by following me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or subscribing to my Youtube channel. Or why not subscribe to my blog and get simple recipes straight to your inbox?
Instant Pot Vegetable Rava Upma
Equipment
- 1 Instant Pot
- 1 Spoon
Ingredients
1 Cup = 250ml ; 1 Tablespoon = 15ml ; 1 Teaspoon = 5ml
- 1.5 tablespoons oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons chana dal
- few curry leaves remove leaves from stem
- 1 teaspoon (or) ½ inch fresh ginger chopped and crushed
- 3 green chillies chopped
- 1 cup (or) 126 gms onion sliced
- ⅓ cup (or) 59 gms carrot 1 small, diced into small cubes
- ⅓ cups (or) 42 gms beans 4-6, chopped
- ⅓ cup (or) 65 gms green peas frozen (thawed)
- ½ cup (or) 123 gms tomato washed and chopped
- 1.5 cups (or) 317 gms roasted coarse semolina (rava/ sooji)
- 3.5 cups water
- salt as required
- handful coriander leaves washed and chopped
Instructions
- Turn SAUTE mode ON and add 1.5 tablespoons oil.1.5 tablespoons oil
- Once the oil is hot, add ½ teaspoon mustard, ½ teaspoon cumin , stir well and let it splutter for a few seconds.½ teaspoon mustard, ½ teaspoon cumin
- Now add 2 teaspoons chana dal and saute for a few seconds until it starts to turn a light golden colour.2 teaspoons chana dal
- Add few curry leaves followed by 1 teaspoon (or) ½ inch fresh ginger, 3 green chillies and saute for a minute.few curry leaves, 1 teaspoon (or) ½ inch fresh ginger, 3 green chillies
- Now add 1 cup (or) 126 gms onion and saute for 2-3 minutes or until it turns soft.1 cup (or) 126 gms onion
- Add ⅓ cup (or) 59 gms carrot, ⅓ cups (or) 42 gms beans, ½ cup (or) 123 gms tomato, saute well and cook for 2-3 minutes.⅓ cup (or) 59 gms carrot, ⅓ cups (or) 42 gms beans, ½ cup (or) 123 gms tomato
- CANCEL the SAUTE mode.
- Add 1.5 cups (or) 317 gms roasted coarse semolina (rava/ sooji), 3.5 cups water, salt, thawed ⅓ cup (or) 65 gms green peas, handful coriander leaves and mix well.⅓ cup (or) 65 gms green peas, 1.5 cups (or) 317 gms roasted coarse semolina (rava/ sooji), 3.5 cups water, salt, handful coriander leaves
- Scrape the bottom of the pan well to prevent the BURN message.
- Close the pot with lid, turn the knob to SEALING position.
- Press PRESSURE COOK mode, set a timer to 6 minutes at HIGH PRESSURE.
- Once the pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally (NPR) for 10 minutes before you do a quick release (QR).
- Take the lid off the pot, stir upma well.
- Serve delicious rava upma with podi, sambar or pickle.
Notes
Nutrition
More Instant Pot Recipes
Welcome to Flavours Treat. I share vegetarian recipes made with wholesome, mostly fresh ingredients. Every recipe has easy-to-follow instructions with process shots (detailed step-wise pictures), a short video and lots of tips to help your cooking journey. Read more
Tried this recipe today, it turned out good and everyone in my house enjoyed it. The texture was just perfect! Recipe videos are really helpful. I would love to see more simple IP recipes.