Indian cuisine · Breakfast & Eggs

Upma

Toasted semolina swelled with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and ginger into a light breakfast porridge.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 200g semolina (durum wheat)
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp urad dal (split black gram)
• 10 curry leaves
• 2 onions
• 1 piece ginger (3cm)
• 2 green chillies
• 1/2 bunch coriander
• 1 lemon
• Salt

Instructions

1. Finely dice the onions, finely chop the ginger and chillies, roughly cut the coriander, and have everything ready — once the tadka starts, things move fast.
2. Toast the semolina in a dry pan over medium heat for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until it smells nutty and turns light sandy brown; remove.
3. Heat the ghee, add the mustard seeds, and wait until they pop, then toast the urad dal and curry leaves for 1 minute until the lentils are golden brown.
4. Add the onions, ginger, and chillies, sauté for 4 minutes until translucent, pour in 600ml water, season with salt, and bring to a vigorous boil.
5. Lower the heat and pour in the semolina in a thin stream while stirring constantly; cover and let swell for 3–4 minutes, until the mixture falls loosely off the spoon.
6. Remove from the heat, fold in the lemon juice and coriander, and serve warm right away — upma firms up quickly as it sits.