Upma

Upma is a wholesome way to start your busy day, prepared with effortlessly available everyday ingredients and filled with healthy vegetables. I remember my mother preparing this breakfast early in the morning before going to work daily. "Uppuma," as pronounced in Southern India, is possibly the most common breakfast option in most Indian households, right alongside dosa and idli.

Also known as suji ka upma or uppittu, this South Indian breakfast has spread throughout India and requires no fancy ingredients—you can prepare it in a flash. The Indian name for semolina is rava, and when combined with different vegetables and fundamental spices, this vegetable upma becomes super fluffy, soft, and savory.

There are several keys to preparing perfect semolina upma: roasting the rava until it releases a nutty aroma and getting the rava-to-water ratio right. With all ingredients ready, this recipe comes together in under 20 minutes, creating an ideal weekday morning breakfast. Upma can be customized in any way you prefer and can easily be made vegan by replacing ghee with coconut or sesame oil.

The dish is made by dry roasting semolina and then cooking it in hot coconut milk and water with vegetables. It features a traditional tempering of mustard seeds, curry leaves, urad dal, chana dal, ginger, and red chili—staples found in most Indian pantries and readily available in Asian stores. I like to serve my upma with coconut chutney to boost the flavor profile.