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Upma is traditionally a breakfast dish but works nicely as a light dinner or snack. Nearly all Indian restaurants have upma on their menus, often in various flavours. The traditional recipe calls for suji, or semolina, to be boiled in water and seasoned only with salt; different variations also call for mustard seeds and curry leaves. Upma has undergone several variations, including those involving vermicelli, rice flakes, dalia, oatmeal, millet, quinoa and even bread chunks. The rava upma, however, is the easiest and most delectable of all recipes. The meal may have originated in south Indian kitchens, but it has now become famous worldwide. This breakfast staple is touted as being wholesome, healthy, delicious, and satisfying. Thus, it would be one of the most nutritious and healthy dinner options.
Vegetable rava upma
One of the tasty and healthy meal options is vegetable wheat rava upma. It has a lot of fibre. Chop 6 beans, 1 inch of ginger, 2 onions, 1 tomato, and half a carrot. Slice two green chillies. Heat oil in a kadai and add 1 tsp of mustard seeds, 1 tbsp of chana dal, 2 tsp of urad dal, 10 cashews, 1 and curry leaf sprig and let them splutter. Now add onions and cook till they get transparent. Pour in the tomatoes, ginger, green peppers, chopped veggies, and 1 tablespoon of green peas. Mix well. Add salt to taste and 3.5 cups of water. Put a lid on it and cook for five minutes. Add 1 cup of rava next. Mix thoroughly before covering. Allow this to simmer on a low to the medium burner for ten minutes. Turn off the heat and serve.
Lemon oats upma
Oats upma, Image Source: stockimagefactory
Make this tangy and healthy upma with oats in a jiffy. Roast a handful of ground nuts and set aside. In a wok with a thick bottom, heat the oil. Add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds and let them sputter. Blend in 1 1/2 tsp of Bengal gramme and 1 tsp of urad dal. Cook until a light crimson colour appears. Stir in the curry leaves, red chilli, green chilli, and asafoetida. Mix in the turmeric powder. Bring to a boil with salt and 3/4 cup water. Mix together 1 cup of instant oats. Lower the flame, then cover it. For 4 minutes, cook. Take off the lid and stir in 1 1/4 tablespoons of lemon juice. Cook for a further 4 minutes without the lid, stirring occasionally. Garnish with the ground nuts and serve hot.
Mixed veggie dalia upma
Dalia upma, Image Source: Alamy
Dalia, or broken wheat, is known for its health benefits. An easy upma made with it can be a perfect healthy dinner. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok and add the mustard, urad dal, cumin, curry leaves, dried red chilli, and eight whole cashews. On a medium flame, saute and sputter. Add now two green chillies, one inch of ginger, and half an onion finely sliced. Saute for a while. Add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and salt to taste. Blend in 1 chopped tomato, 2 tbsp chopped carrot, 1/4 chopped potato, 2 tbsp peas, and 5 chopped French beans. Cook for 5 minutes with a cover on. Add 1 cup of broken wheat or dalia, and roast for 5 minutes over a low flame. While maintaining a low flame, pour 3 cups of boiling water over the cooked rava. On a high temperature, cook with a cover for two minutes. Serve the hot dalia upma.
Red poha upma
Compared to the thin white rice flakes or poha, the thick red ones are healthier. They have a very rustic taste and can be used for various recipes, just like this upma. Wash the red aval or poha and add the necessary salt and water to fully submerge. Leave alone for 15 minutes. Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Blend 1 teaspoon of each urad dal and chana dal, then curry leaves. Then incorporate ginger, green chilli, carrots, onion, and green chillies. Sauté onion until it softens. Pour the soaked red poha. Gently stir the upma. Cover it and keep the low flame cook for 5 minutes. To ensure consistent cooking, whisk once between. After 5 minutes, turn off the flame, stir the poha and keep it covered. Just before serving, sprinkle generously with pure ghee.
Tomato millet upma
Millet upma, Image Source: Blend With Spices@YouTube
Millets are all over the place and raved for their health benefits. Make this tangy upma with any millet of your choice. Wash 1 cup proso millet well in water Drain, then set apart. In a pressure cooker, heat the oil. Add mustard seeds, 1 tsp urad dal, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, and 1 sprig of fresh curry leaves. Let them splutter. Add chopped green chillies and four chopped shallots. Cook for a minute. Add two thinly sliced tomatoes and continue cooking until it becomes mushy. Season with turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and salt to taste. Mix well. Add the millet and thoroughly sauté. Pour water and bring it to a boil. After simmering, cover the pan and pressure cook it for one whistle. Allow the steam to escape on its own. Open the lid and let the cooker sit for ten minutes. Fluff it with a fork, sprinkle freshly chopped coriander leaves and fried cashew nuts, and serve.
