High Protein Vermicelli Upma Recipe

This is a traditional Vermicelli Upma recipe (or Semiya Upma recipe) made healthy with a high-protein twist. I like to fortify traditional recipes with twists to make them more balanced and satiating all the time. You will need very few simple ingredients as you did for the Semolina-based Upma Recipe , except you replace semolina here with Vermicelli strands. To fortify the recipe to make it more balanced, you will need half a block of tofu, grated. And that’s it!

Tofu Vermicelli Upma served on a blue plate, top view, close-up - 1

What is Vermicelli Upma?

Upma is a savory breakfast dish from South India and is usually based on broken semolina (cream of wheat) and can have variations with oats, millets, quinoa, bread etc. You can also add a bunch of veggies to make this more nourishing.

Vermicelli upma is another version of this South Indian breakfast dish where the main ingredient is vermicelli (wheat-based pasta with long and thin strands), also known as seviyan in Hindi and Semiya in many South Indian languages. This version of healthy vermicelli upma with tofu is also easy to make and tastes equally good, maybe even better!

Tofu Vermicelli Upma served on a blue plate, 45 deg angle view - 2

How to make Tofu Vermicelli Upma? (Step-wise recipe)

Here’s how you can make a delicious and healthy vermicelli tofu dish that’s perfect for a quick lunch or dinner.

First, we’ll need some broken vermicelli, also known as semiya or seviyan. You’ll need about 3/4 cup or 150 grams.
Dry roast the vermicelli in a pan on low heat until they turn golden, stirring often. Then set them aside to cool down.

Uncooked broken vermicelli being dry roasted - 3

In the same pan, heat up a tablespoon of oil and add mustard seeds, letting them crackle. Then, add urad dal.

mall black mustard seeds crackling and sizzling in a pan of hot oil. - 4

cumin seeds and fry until the urad dal turns golden and everything becomes fragrant. (Add some cashews for a delicious crunch.). Next, add chopped onions.

Next add the curry leaves, ginger, green chili. Sauté everything until the onions become translucent or even golden.

Then add chopped carrots, asafoetida and turmeric powder and cook for a few minutes until the raw smell of turmeric goes away.

Now it’s time to add the grated tofu and stir fry everything for another 4-5 minutes until everything is well cooked and the tofu looks well-coated in the mixture. Then add water, salt, and sugar to taste and let it all come to a boil.

Lower the heat and add the roasted vermicelli. Stir and cook the vermicelli until they become soft and have absorbed all the water. Adjust the consistency according to your preference.
Finally, switch off the heat and add some chopped coriander/cilantro leaves for a burst of freshness.

Squeeze some lemon juice on top for an extra zing and serve hot!

High Protein Vermicelli Upma Recipe - 10

This vermicelli and tofu dish is a great way to incorporate protein-rich tofu into your diet, and it’s also a flavorful and nutritious meal that’s perfect for any time of day. Enjoy!

I hope you give this healthy vermicelli upma recipe a go and I’m sure you are going to make it this way from the next time on!

Check out other breakfast recipes from @beextravegant :

Vegetable Rava Upma Recipe
Khaman dhokla recipe
Paniyaram recipe- shallow fried, spiced rice and lentil balls
Vegan Yoghurt Toast – Spicy
Tofu masala sandwich

Tofu Vermicelli Upma served on a blue plate, top view - 11

Tofu Semiya Upma – Vermicelli Upma

Ingredients1x2x3x

3/4 cup broken vermicelli/semiya/seviyan about 150 grams
1/2 block firm tofu grated
1 tbsp oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp urad dal husked and split black gram
1 onion finely chopped
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
1-2 green chili pepper – chopped depending on your heat tolerance
1 tsp Turmeric powder Optional
4-5 Cashews Optional
7 to 8 curry leaves
1 pinch asafoetida hing, optional
1 carrot finely chopped
2 cups water or according to requirement
½ tsp sugar optional
salt to taste
5-6 stalks coriander/cilantro leaves chopped
Lemon wedges to squeeze on top

Instructions

Grate the tofu and set aside.
Then start by heating up a pan on low flame. Add the vermicelli to this and dry-roast slowly until they turn golden, stirring often.
Set aside to cool down in a separate bowl.
In the same pan, heat oil, add the mustard seeds, and let them start to crackle.
Then, add urad dal and cumin seeds and fry until the urad dal turns a bit golden and everything becomes fragrant.
Then add cashews and let the urad dal turn a deeper golden brown
Now add chopped onions, curry leaves, ginger, green chill, and asafoetida.
Mix very well and sauté till the onions become translucent or even golden.
Then add the chopped carrots and turmeric powder and cook for a few minutes until the raw smell of turmeric goes away.
Then add the grated tofu and stir fry for another 4-5 minutes until everything is well cooked and the tofu looks well-coated in the mixture.
Then add the water, salt, and sugar and let it all come to a boil.
Lower the heat and add the roasted vermicelli.
Stir and cook the vermicelli till they become soft and have absorbed all the water.
When you achieve the desired consistency (less wet or slightly wet), switch off the heat and add chopped coriander/cilantro leaves.
Squeeze some lemon juice on top and serve hot.

Nutrition

Mooli ke paranthe (pl.) or Mooli paratha (sing.) is a famous Punjabi breakfast dish that has now taken over the rest of the country for its simple yet delicious taste. It pairs perfectly with pickles, curd, sabzi or yoghurt dip ( raita ). Mooli Parantha is prepared like any other stuffed flatbread ( Aloo ka paratha ). It is traditionally made with grated radish, whole wheat flour and spices. This method makes the parathas healthy, and fulfilling. Follow my recipe step-by-step guide to learn how to make some radish parathas and make your breakfast time a kickass one.

Mooli Parantha served with mango pickle and raita placed on a plate - 12

I have noticed that I post a lot of paratha recipes on the site because Parathas are LOVE. And I can’t stress this enough. I love parathas and I would love to see you give these recipes a try.

Why Mooli Parantha?

Mooli (Hindi) or radishes have a pungent taste and smell which makes it one of the most avoided vegetables, at least in India. It is prepared as a sabzi (veggie preparation) and served with roti or chapati. Many people object to eating mooli because of the smell and the flatulence it causes. Despite this, eating radishes is healthy, and nutritious and is rich in vitamin C, vitamin B6, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and calcium. Mooli Paratha is perfect to consume if you’re not a big fan of radishes because trust me, you won’t even realise these parathas have radishes in them.

For this recipe, we are going to use white radishes, but you can also use daikon radishes if you find them.

Ingredients and Substitutions for Mooli Parantha

For the Dough

Atta or whole wheat flour : made from hard durum wheat, atta flour has distinct texture that is difficult to replicate. If you can’t get your hands on atta flour, whole wheat flour is the best substitute that’s readily available.
Salt and water

For radish filling

White radish (mooli, daikon): To substitute white radish, you can use turnip (which is milder but with similar texture) or carrots for sweeter twist. Make sure to squeeze the moisture out no matter what vegetable you use.
Spices and aromatics: green chili, red chilli powder, cumin powder, garam masala
Salt to taste
Oil for cooking

How to make Mooli Parantha? (tips and tricks)

Preparing the dough

Knead the dough by mixing flour, salt, and water until you form a soft and pliable dough. Set aside. Check my Roti recipe to make the dough.

Mooli masala filling

Grate the white radish and squeeze the water from it with a cloth.

I am grating the raddish using a grater - 13

Here I am adding the grated raddish on to a sieve so I can squeeze out the excess water - 14

Put the squeezed-out radish into a bowl. Add chopped green chillies.

Adding chopped green chillies to the Mooli stuffing masala - 15

Now add ground spices, salt and chopped coriander to the grated mooli.

sprinkling to the Mooli stuffing masala - 16

Stuffing the dough with Mooli filling

Now pull out a lemon-sized ball from the dough and roll it out into a small circle, about 5 cm on a flat, floured surface.

image of me stuffing the flattened dough with a spoonful of Mooli or raddish filling - 17

Note : Take 1-2 tbsp or two of the radish filling and place it in the middle. Don’t use too much stuffing as the parathas could break while rolling. Fold and join the edges with your fingers, press it down and seal it tight.

image of me patting the dough ball to flatten it out - 18

In the meantime, heat a griddle or flat pan. Roll out the stuffed dough ball in a round shape.
Add some oil to the pan and place the paratha in the centre, keeping it at medium-high heat. Never cook the paratha on a low flame as it can make the parathas hard or dense.

Spread a generous amount of oil to cook the parathas. You want golden brown spots and light puffing up.

Image of me smearing oil on top of the Mooli parantha on the hot pan - 20

Flip the paratha a couple of times until the parathas are cooked evenly. Finish up the rest of the parathas the same way.
Serve Mooli Parathas hot with hot mango pickles or salted and spiced yoghurt. These are perfect for lunchboxes or for breakfast/lunch with a cup of chai!

Shot of cooked Mooli parantha being torn in halves - 21

Tips for the Best Mooli Parantha

For soft and tasty mooli parantha, follow these tips:

Use warm water for the dough Warm liquids help the dough become soft and pliable, which is key for tender parathas. You can even use a mix of warm water and plant-based milk for added richness.
Rest the dough After kneading, let the dough rest for at least 20–30 minutes, covered with a damp cloth. This relaxes the gluten and makes the dough easier to roll.
Knead well A well-kneaded dough (about 8–10 minutes) ensures soft, chewy parathas. It should be smooth, soft, and not sticky.
Don’t overstuff your parathas When making stuffed parathas, use just enough filling so it doesn’t burst through the dough while rolling. Make sure the filling is not watery—it should be dry and mashable.
Roll gently and evenly Always dust the dough lightly with flour while rolling to prevent sticking, but don’t overdo it or the parathas may turn dry. Apply even pressure for uniform thickness.
Use a hot skillet or tawa The pan should be properly preheated before you start cooking the parathas. A mildly warm pan won’t give that golden, crispy finish.
Flip at the right time Wait for light bubbles or golden spots before flipping. Usually, each side gets 30–60 seconds, but timing may vary based on your heat level.
Apply oil evenly After the first flip, drizzle a little oil or ghee around the edges and over the top, then press lightly with a spatula to ensure crispy, flaky layers.
Keep warm in a towel or insulated box Stack freshly made parathas in a clean kitchen towel or keep them in an insulated container to retain their softness.
Reheat gently If you’re reheating, use a hot pan or wrap them in foil and warm them in the oven. Avoid microwaving, as it can make them chewy.

And that’s how easy it is to make Parathas. There are many sweet or savoury fillings that you can use to make the parathas. Various ingredients can be used to produce parathas, which are also a fantastic option for breakfast or lunch because they are extremely filling.

Try making parathas with the filling of your choice, and don’t forget to tag @beextravegant. It’s so nice to see you all try out my recipes. It makes mama bee glow with happiness! ❤️🐝

Similar to Mooli Parantha and Other Breakfast Foods

Aloo Paratha – Potato filled flatbreads
Bajra Roti – Gluten free millet roti
Idli Podi recipe
Besan ka Cheela – gram flour pancakes