By Aditi Saraswat
November 13, 2026
Rava upma makes a suitable breakfast option when you want to have something filling without having to spend hours in the kitchen. Roasted semolina cooks quickly, whereas carrots and peas add fibre, colour and texture. A tempering made of mustard seeds, curry leaves, and ginger adds flavour, making this South Indian breakfast easy to fit into rushed mornings.
1 cup rava (semolina or sooji) 2½ cups water 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 small carrot, finely chopped 2 tbsp green peas 1 green chilli, finely chopped 1 tsp mustard seeds ½ tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp urad dal 1 tsp chana dal 8–10 curry leaves 1 tbsp oil or ghee ½ tsp grated ginger Salt to taste 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves 1 tsp lemon juice (optional)
In a pan, dry-roast the rava over a low flame for about 4 to 5 minutes. Keep stirring constantly until aromatic, then transfer to a plate and keep aside.
In the same pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds, cumin, urad dal and chana dal. Let everything bloom and splutter.
To this, now add curry leaves, green chilli, ginger and chopped onion. Sauté the onion until they turn soft and translucent, then mix in chopped carrots and peas.
Pour in the required water, add salt to taste and bring to a boil. Slowly add roasted rava while mixing continuously to prevent any lump formation.
Cover and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes until thick, then finish with chopped coriander and lemon juice, and serve hot.