Vegetable Upma recipe with easy-to-follow instructions. Rava upma is a simple Indian breakfast dish made with semolina, spices, roasted nuts and lentils. Many like to add vegetables to it to make it wholesome and that’s how I like it too. This recipe is going to be a staple in your home if you make it! By using rice rava or polenta, it also can turn gluten-free!
What is Upma?
Upma is a fragrant, savoury South Indian breakfast made from rava/sooji or cream of wheat aka semolina. You can also make this with rice lava or polenta to make it gluten-free. It is dry roasted rava in water that has been flavored by mustard seeds, curry leaves, chana dal (husked chickpeas), cashews, peanuts, urad dal (lentils), onion, ginger, green chilli peppers and garnished with herbs. It tastes savoury and nutty and is also nutritious!
To make it more wholesome, we can also add vegetables, the way I did. Usually, you can add carrots and peas, finely chopped potatoes, finely chopped green beans, chopped bell pepper, etc.
Tips and Tricks to make amazing Vegetable Upma
- Roasting rava: Toast/roast your rava by stirring often on a low or medium-low heat in a pan. Keep a look out for a change of colour accompanied by a toasted aroma, but be careful not to burn it.
- Oil/vegan ghee : Vegetable upma can be made with coconut oil or vegan ghee (if you have access to it). If you have neither, you can also use any cooking oil.
- Rava to water ratio: For a softer rava upma, you can use the proportion of 1:2.5 or 3 for rava and water respectively. Which means that for 1 cup of fine rava you can add 2 cups water.
- Addition of rava to water: Add the toasted rava to the hot water in installments. Stir in the rava to the water, then add the next batch. This ensures even mixing, texture of the upma.
- Serving suggestions: Serve it hot or warm. I love serving mine with a generous garnish of coriander leaves and some of this Indian snack called sev. You can also serve vegetable upma with coconut chutney, Indian pickle or chutney podi.
- Storing Vegetable Upma: Make the quantity you need by doubling, tripling or halving the ingredient quantity. Refrigerate leftover vegetable upma for 2-3 days. You can also freeze it in a freeze-safe container.
Let me know if you try this easy Vegetable Upma recipe and I would love to see what you paired it up with. Tag @beextravegant on Instagram .
Try other breakfast/snack items from the blog:
- Khaman dhokla recipe
- Paniyaram recipe- shallow fried, spiced rice and lentil balls
- Vegan Yoghurt Toast – Spicy
- Tofu masala sandwich
- Baked Aloo Tikki – Crispy and Healthy
Vegetable Upma Recipe
Ingredients1x2x3x
- 1 cup coarse semolina/Rava/Sooji polenta could work too
- 1½ tbsp coconut oil or vegan ghee
- 2 tsp mustard Seeds
- 7-9 curry leaves use a sprig of leaves if you have that
- 1 tbsp chana daal
- 1 tbsp peanuts
- 1 tbsp cashews
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot finely chopped, brunoise
- 1/3 cup green peas
- Salt to taste
- 2 cups water water to semolina ratio 2:1
- fresh coriander/cilantro leaves to garnish
Instructions
- Dry roast semolina, on medium heat, until golden. About 5-7 minutes and set aside.
- Add oil/vegan ghee to the pan on medium heat. Fry mustard seeds, chana daal and peanuts until the peanuts turn golden and everything is fragrant.
- Add cashews and curry leaves and toast for another 2 minutes.
- Add the chopped onions and cook until it turns translucent.
- Then add the chopped carrots and peas and salt. Then cover and cook until soft.
- Then add water and bring to boil, and reduce the heat.
- Slowly incorporate the roasted semolina in parts while whisking with a spatula.
- Add water if necessary. You want all the water to be soaked by the semolina.
- Cover for 2-5 minutes and serve hot with some fresh chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves.
Khaman dhokla is a steamed breakfast/snack item originating from Gujarat (a state in the west of India). Dhokla is originally made with a batter of rice and lentils, but this quick version became extremely popular due to its ease. Khaman dhokla is made with Bengal gram flour/chickpea flour and an evening agent. It is quick to whip up, healthy and oh so delicious!
How to steam Khaman Dhokla?
I used an electrical steamer but here are other ways you can steam the Khaman:
- Steaming in a pan/pot
- Place a small steaming platform/trivet in a large cook-pot that has a lid and also enough room to hold a round pan/cake mould. Pour enough water to cover the legs of the trivet and bring it to a boil.
- Place the mould/pan with batter in the cook-pot as soon you mix in the baking soda. Cover with the lid (preferably with a tiny hole in it to let out excess steam).
- Steam for up to 15 minutes on medium-high heat. The closer the pan to the boiling water, the faster the steaming.
- Steaming in an Instant Pot
- Pour enough water in the steel insert of the IP. Place an iron tripod/trivet and set to sauté function. Bring the water to a simmer.
- Carefully place the pan with the khaman batter on the trivet but do not cover the pan with a lid.
- Cover and IP with its lid and keep the vent position to steam release. Hit the steam button and steam on high pressure for up to 15 minutes.
- Keep a track of the time using a timer to prevent the IP from steaming even after the time is elapsed. Let the pressure release until the valve falls down. Then open the lid carefully and serve.
3) Steaming in a pressure cooker
- Place the tripod/trivet in a pressure cooker. Add enough water to cover the leg of the tripod. Bring the water to a boil. Carefully place the pan with batter with the help of tongs on to the trivet.
- Remove the whistle (weight) from the lid and seal the lid tightly. Steam for up to 15 minutes on medium to medium-high heat.
- Once it’s done, remove the side an carefully take out the pan/mould with the help of tongs.
Let me know if you try this easy Khaman Dhokla recipe and I would love to see what you paired it up with. Tag @beextravegant on Instagram .
Try other breakfast/snack items from the blog:
- Paniyaram recipe- shallow fried, spiced rice and lentil balls
- Vegan Yoghurt Toast – Spicy
- Tofu masala sandwich
- Baked Aloo Tikki – Crispy and Healthy
Khaman Dhokla
Ingredients1x2x3x
Batter
- 1.5 cups gram flour besan, 180 grams
- 1 tbsp semolina optional
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- 1 tbsp sugar
- A pinch of turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- ¾ tsp baking soda or 1.5 to 2 tsp fruit salt
- 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup water or as per requirement
Tempering
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves – about 10 leaves
- 1 tsp chopped or 2-3 whole green chilies optional
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 cup water
Garnishes
- Freshly grated coconut
- Chopped coriander
Instructions
Khaman Dhokla:
- Grease a deep steamer pan or a cake mould with 2 to 3 tsp of oil.
- In a mixing bowl, sift besan/gram flour/chickpea flour.
- Add turmeric powder, lemon juice, sugar, and salt.
- Add 1 cup water or as per requirement to get a thick but flowing batter consistency (water requirement depends on the quality of flour).
- Mix well and add the semolina, if using.
- If the batter is too thin, add 1 to 2 tbsp gram flour.
- Bring to a boil 2 to 3 cups (or as required) of water in a steamer or a stove-top cook-pot.
- Now add the baking soda or fruit salt to the batter.
- Stir quickly until evenly mixed into the batter (to prevent uneven levening).
- Pour the batter in the greased pan.
- Place the pan in a steamer cook-top and cover with the lid.
- Let it steam for 15 to 20 minutes in an electric cooker on a medium to high heat.
- Once steamed, do the toothpick test check doneness. If the toothpick comes out with uncooked batter on it, then steam a bit more.
- When the khaman cools down a bit, then slide in a spatula gently sliding along the edges and invert the pan to slowly drop the khaman dhokla on a plate.
Tempering:
- Heat oil in a small pan.
- Add mustard seeds and when they crackle, add the curry leaves and green chilies (if using).
- Saute until slightly browned and then add water. (Be careful here as the mixture can sizzle aggressively. Alternatively, you can switch off the heat and then add water)
- Now add sugar, and mix well so that it’s well dissolved and let the mix come to a boil again.
- Then pour this mixture evenly on to the steamed and sliced khaman dhokla.
- Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and grated coconut.
Serving and Storage:
- Serve khaman dhokla fresh with a spicy or sweet chutney. You can also store in an air tight container. These can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- If serving khaman after a long time, do not garnish with coconut and coriander leaves before storing. Do it right before serving.
Notes
Place a small steaming platform/trivet in a large cook-pot that has a lid and also enough room to hold a round pan/cake mould. Pour enough water to cover the legs of the trivet and bring it to a boil.
Place the mould/pan with batter in the cook-pot as soon you mix in the baking soda. Cover with the lid (preferably with a tiny hole in it to let out excess steam).
Steam for up to 15 minutes on medium-high heat. The closer the pan to the boiling water, the faster the steaming.
Pour enough water in the steel insert of the IP. Place an iron tripod/trivet and set to sauté function. Bring the water to a simmer.
Carefully place the pan with the khaman batter on the trivet but do not cover the pan with a lid.
Cover and IP with its lid and keep the vent position to steam release. Hit the steam button and steam on high pressure for up to 15 minutes.
Keep a track of the time using a timer to prevent the IP from steaming even after the time is elapsed. Let the pressure release until the valve falls down. Then open the lid carefully and serve.
3) Steaming in a pressure cooker
- Place the tripod/trivet in a pressure cooker. Add enough water to cover the leg of the tripod. Bring the water to a boil. Carefully place the pan with batter with the help of tongs on to the trivet.
- Remove the whistle (weight) from the lid and seal the lid tightly. Steam for up to 15 minutes on medium to medium-high heat.
- Once it’s done, remove the side an carefully take out the pan/mould with the help of tongs.
These vegan paneer Kathi rolls are inspired by a popular Indian street-food. They are wraps/rolls made with layered parathas (I used oiled roti here) spread with mint-coriander chutney, filled with spicy tofu cube and a fresh veggie salad for crunch. Make it for a quick weeknight meal/ lunch box or serve at your next social gathering and they are sure to be a hit!
What is Kathi roll?
Kathi Roll is one of the most popular grab-and-go street food in India. The word Kathi roughly translates to stick. These were traditionally made with meat based kebabs in skewers (hence the word Kathi). The rolls are essentially layered wraps made with spicy sauces, fresh veggies for crunch and the soft meat kebabs.
In India, with a major vegetarian crowd, paneer Kathi rolls are very popular. Being vegan, paneer Kathi rolls are so easy to veganize. I just replaced the paneers with tofu and it tastes EXACTLY like the real vegetarian deal. Trust me!
Ingredients to make Vegan Kathi Rolls:
- Vegan Paneer – I used tofu, but you can sub with chickpeas or rehydrated soy chunks (TVP).
- Veggie salad -I used carrots, bell pepper and red onions, with juiced lemon. You can add or sub with tomatoes, cucumbers, shredded cabbage etc.
- Spices and aromatics- I used cumin, coriander powder, chaat masala, kala namak (black salt),Kashmiri red chili powder, ginger garlic paste (ground ginger and garlic, garam masala, turmeric. You can also add kasoori methi, pepper and salt.
- Roti/Parathas: You can buy frozen layered parathas and use those instead (cooked according to instructions on the pack) or make rotis from scratch and add a bit of oil to it while cooking. Whatever you prefer.
- Mint coriander Chutney – Here is the recipe (you can skip the slice of bread in this recipe)
If you try out this Vegan Kathi Roll recipe, then I would love to know! Ping me on Instagram or comment down below!
Try other snacks and street food inspired recipes from the blog:
- Vegan Yoghurt Toast – Spicy
- Baked Aloo Tikki – Crispy and Healthy
- Tofu masala sandwich
Vegan Kathi Roll
Ingredients1x2x3x
For the marinated tofu:
- 1 block Tofu 400 g
- 1 Lemon juiced
- 1/4 cup of Vegan yoghurt
- ¼ tsp ajwain carom seeds
- 1 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste minced ginger and garlic)
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- ½ tsp Coriander Powder
- ½ tsp Cumin Powder
- ½ tsp Garam Masala Powder
- ½ tsp Chaat Masala
- ½ tsp Kala namak Black salt
Salad filling:
- 1 Bell pepper
- 1 Carrot
- 1 Red onion
- ½ tsp chaat masala
- ¼ tsp kashmiri red chili powder or red chili powder
- 1 tsp lemon juice
For Assembly:
- 4 Rotis/layered Parathas
- 1 cup Green mint coriander chutney (recipe on the blog)
Instructions
Vegan paneer tikka:
- In a bowl mix all the ingredients for the marination except the tofu. Taste and add salt to taste.
- Chop tofu in cubes and add it to the marination.
- Gently mix let the marination coat the paneer cubes evenly. Cover and keep aside for at least 30 minutes or more in the refrigerator.
Veggie Salad Filling:
- Thinly slice onion, carrots and bell peppers.
- Add them all to a bowl. Add all the seasonings for the veggie salad.
- Mix well and set aside.
Roti:
- Make roti following the recipe on the blog and add a few drops of oil on the roti
- You can also use frozen paratha from the store
Making the vegan paneer tikka:
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan.
- Bring to low or medium-low and add the marinated tofu cubes. Add the entire marination.
- Cook all sides until its brown and crispy
- Remove from the pan and set aside.
Assembly:
- Spread 1-2 tbsp of the mint-coriander chutney on a roti.
- Then line the tofu tikka cubes in the center.
- Top with the veggie salad.
- Bring the sides of the roti and make a roll/wrap.
- Secure it tight with wrapping paper and serve or store in a lunch box if prepping it.
- Serve it with some tomato ketchup or vegan cheese.
Vegetable Upma Recipe
Ingredients1x2x3x
- 1 cup coarse semolina/Rava/Sooji polenta could work too
- 1½ tbsp coconut oil or vegan ghee
- 2 tsp mustard Seeds
- 7-9 curry leaves use a sprig of leaves if you have that
- 1 tbsp chana daal
- 1 tbsp peanuts
- 1 tbsp cashews
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot finely chopped, brunoise
- 1/3 cup green peas
- Salt to taste
- 2 cups water water to semolina ratio 2:1
- fresh coriander/cilantro leaves to garnish
Instructions
- Dry roast semolina, on medium heat, until golden. About 5-7 minutes and set aside.
- Add oil/vegan ghee to the pan on medium heat. Fry mustard seeds, chana daal and peanuts until the peanuts turn golden and everything is fragrant.
- Add cashews and curry leaves and toast for another 2 minutes.
- Add the chopped onions and cook until it turns translucent.
- Then add the chopped carrots and peas and salt. Then cover and cook until soft.
- Then add water and bring to boil, and reduce the heat.
- Slowly incorporate the roasted semolina in parts while whisking with a spatula.
- Add water if necessary. You want all the water to be soaked by the semolina.
- Cover for 2-5 minutes and serve hot with some fresh chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves.
