South Indian Rava Upma
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Rava upma can be prepared and served within minutes and it’s hard to get it wrong. This dish is ideal for beginners to Indian cooking! Rava is also know as sooji or suji in Hindi. All of these terms refer to the same ingredient, which is semolina! Did I mention that this dish is vegan? Yep, not leaving the vegans out!
What Are Curry Leaves?
The tree is native to India and there are several culinary and medicinal applications from it’s leaves. Healthline outlines 9 incredible benefits and uses of curry leaves here for your interest.
You can usually purchase these at your local Asian or Indian grocer, and I like to freeze them to use later.
Semolina is usually really easy on the budget, which makes it a popular ingredient in lots of Indian households, and this price to volume ratio translates to North American markets as well.
Preparing a Great Rava Upma
Roast well
The rava/sooji/semolina needs to be roasted well to ensure the upma is fluffy and light. The roasting also adds some colour since naturally, rava/sooji/semolina is very pale.
Essential ingredients
These ingredients are key to achieving a great base and understanding the basic concept of a great rava upma.
Olive oil: I like to use olive oil since it is lighter, healthier and is usually always in my pantry.
Black Mustard seeds: Essential to most South Indian dishes, the flavour is very similar to subtle spice of mustard which compliments well with curry leaves. Usually mustard seeds are used in combination with curry leaves.
Curry leaves: These leaves are aromatic, and carry a pungent and citrusy flavour which works will with black mustard seeds
Chana dal/Split chickpeas: The lentils are lightly fried with the oil, mustard seeds and curry leaves and adds a nuttiness and texture to the soft, fluffy upma.
Onions: The spicy and nuttiness flavours from earlier are balanced by the sweetness of the onions. Once caramelized with the mustard seeds, they become injected with their flavour and create a unique, delicious flavour combination.
Lime Juice & Cilantro: Cuts through the flavours and helps add acidic freshness to the entire dish. While this step is optional, I urge you to try the upma before and after adding these ingredients to taste the difference.
How to Serve Rava Upma
A well roasted upma will have fluffy grains that will be steaming hot, which pairs amazingly well with some toast. I especially enjoy it with the subtle sourness of a rye bread. Traditionally, rava/sooji upma is served with coconut chutney or limes on the side and enjoyed by itself. I find the fun in finding your favourite way to enjoy these traditional dishes.
Watch How to Make South Indian Rava Upma Here:
Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cookingwithanadi. Thank you!