Rava upma is undoubtedly the easiest dish to cook!! I can say this because eve an 8 year old can do it. Yes, I learnt how to cook Rava Upma when I was just 8 years old, and believe me, it turned out to be tastier than an upma made by a master chef! 
This is when my love for cooking started as this provided a great boost to my confidence.Any beginners out ther – I highly recommend that you try out this dish first.
Even though Rava upma is very easy to prepare, there is no compromise in its taste. The aroma of ghee will leave you wanting for more. Its melt-in-the-mouth, soft texture and the great aromas will be a great treat to your taste buds. The dish tastes best when it is served hot.
So don’t miss this one out… Its a true South-India dish.
Make a quick note of the ingredients and the preparation method.
Rava Upma Ingredients :
- Sooji/Rava : 1 cup
- Vermicelli : 2-3 table spoon
- Urad dal : 1 tea spoon
- Channa dal : 1 tea spoon
- Mustard seeds : 1/2 tea spoon
- Green chillies : 2-3
- Onions (finely chopped) : 1/2 cup
- Ginger (finely chopped) : 1/2 tea spoon
- Tomato (finely chopped) : 1/2 cup
- Curry leaves : 1 strand
- Asafoetida powder (optional) : a pinch
- Coriander leaves (chopped) : 1-2 tea spoons
- Lemon juice : 1 tea spoon
- Ghee/Clarified butter : 1 tea spoon
- Oil : 2 tea spoons
- Water : 2-3 cups
- Salt to taste
Preparation Method :
- Place a pan on the stove and heat the oil and ghee in it.
- Add mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal and a pinch of asafoetida powder and fry till they turn golden brown. Be careful here as the mustard seeds start to splutter as soon as they are dropped in oil.
- To this, add chopped green chillies and ginger and fry for another minute.
- Next, add the vermicelli and mix the contents for another 2-3 minutes.
- Now, add chopped onions and fry it till the onions start turning transperent.
- Then add chopped tomatoes and mix the contents well.
- After everything has been cooked, add some water and salt and let the mixture boil for 5 more minutes (approx.).
- Now add the Rava to this liquid mixture and start stirring briskly. Also make sure that no lumps are formed during the stirring process.
- Cover the vessel with a lid for about 6-8 minutes or till it is fully cooked.
- Next, reduce the flame and add the chopped coriander leaves and some curry leaves and mix it a little.
- Turn off the flame and transfer the contents into a hot case.
- Rava upma is ready. Serve hot with chutney or sugar.
Additional Information on Rava Upma Recipe:
Serving: Serves 3
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty Level: Very Easy
Calories: 255
Note that addition of tomatoes is optional. For those who don’t like tomatoes, you can still prepare Rava Upma just by negating the tomatoes. The dish tastes just as great 
Do try it out and post your comments and feedback here. I would love to hear it from you
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
Delicious Recipes
Awesome effort
Keep up the good work
yummy…perked me up on lonely, long weekend…
thanks!
You are welcome
An authentic Upma will be soft in texture fluffy moist but not mushy or greasy yet has to exhibhit a silky bite and above all has to be aromatic and calls for special attention while preparing.The trick is in adding right quantity of water and the way water is added to the rava.
Baskaran
yammi uppma taste
Thx Ash..
It helped me a lot….
tried the upma…my upma always turns out mushy…its never fluffy and seperate like ur pic shows…i used coarse semolina…dunno what i do wrong!!
any tips or suggestions???
i cook this quick dish often, but most of the times it becomes mushy
Hey wht is Vermicelli ??? waiting for ur reply..
thnx
wow really tasty……..
do we need to soak channa nd urad dal?
hey To u all nice recipe n faboulice cherup`
I like the receipe very much but i have a problem.. whenever i tried to make it, it was not so fluffy like i have in restaurents.. itz like over steamed rice. plz tell me how to make it perfect
My mother slightly roasts the rava till it changes colour ( very slightly brown) and leaves it to cool to room temperature. No vermicilli , tomatoes or lemon juice was added. Everything was cooked as mentioned and then water was added and then the mix was boiled. Then rava was added while stirring it continuously till it thickens and appears done. The stove is put off then and the upma was kept covered to cool for about 1/2 hour. Tasted great. This would be a simpler variation of the recipe above.
The rava to water ratio is VERY critical.You might have to find it by trial and error. If I’m not mistaken it might vary depending on which Brand of rava you use ?
hey the recipe tasted well , not only well it was Fab but why only upmas with rawa ?? why cant we try out sumthing new ??
Well i dont the answer for dis but I want suggestions from u so plz try out sumthing new with rawa I am eagerly waiting 4 ur feedback
vermicelli and rawa should be roasted or plain as available in general store
I like that you add tomatoes also as they give a little tangy flavour
It has very little flavour because I was careful with spices. Next time I’ll add 3 chillies instead of two. I have a question regarding curry leaves. Most people seem to fry them in oil, not add at the end. Are we supposed to wait and add them at the end? They render not so much flavour in the dish.
AT ARIEN: Mushy upma means too much water. Mine was a bit too dry because I read your comment and added 2 cups water. I think 3 would be perfect. And don’t be shy with spices! Besides I find tomato unnecessary here.
Thanks for the recipe though, it is my first time making upma and it was definitely edible!
thank q. GREAT &FANTASTIC
Yummyyyyyyyy……my mummyyyyyyyyy cooks it for me always.
Awesome dish.
U can even mix some roasted chana dal and roasted peanuts in it.
kindly give accurate directions as far as adding sooji is concerned because a first time cook like me…adds the whole amount to the hot water in bulk…and no matter how briskly you stir/mash/smash…the lumps do not go away!!.:(..the taste was really good once I managed to pick all the lumps out..
…Thank you
I would modify the recipe to add the sooji in small amounts, on low heat and keep stirring all the way!
Thanks
Thank you! Made wonderful upma today thanks to the recipe
Thanks! I too made upma as per your instruction and it turned out yummy!
@Radhika
I used the trick of pouring the rava very gradually from the cup with one hand and then stirring it in the hot water. No lumps were formed with this way.
Hi Aishwarya,
I have tried it. it came fantastic. i really enjoyed doing it. also more when eating it.thanks yaar..May god bless you…Ram