Tomato Upma - Swasthi's Recipes (2024)

1K Shares

Tomato Upma is a delicious South Indian Breakfast made with semolina, spices, curry leaves and ripe tomatoes. This Andhra style tomato upma is a variation of the basic Rava Upma, which is a staple in South India. Tomato upma tastes delicious on its own and you won’t need anything on the side. But Peanut podi, Curry leaves podi or Pickle & papads go well on the side.

Tomato Upma - Swasthi's Recipes (1)

I have made this with fine semolina known as suji or Bombay rava. On occasions I also make this with wheat rava (dalia) and even with bansi rava. Bombay rava has lesser fiber and is somewhat considered a refined food. So to make it a bit healthier I use wheat rava and bansi rava.

This recipe works good with all 3 kinds of rava. However you need to add more water for the last 2 kinds.

If you are bored with your regular upma, try out this tomato upma. It tastes delicious, spicy and slightly tangy from the tomatoes. I have not used any other vegetables here. But mixed veggies like carrots, peas and green beans (French beans) go well.

This recipe is made much the same way as the regular upma. We roast the semolina on a low heat, until aromatic and crunchy. This step prevents the tomato upma from turning sticky and prevents formation of lumps when you incorporate the rava into the boiling water.

Later we temper the spices like mustard, cumin, ginger and green chilies in oil or ghee. Next we also fry the cashew nuts and lentils until golden. Onions are stir fried for a brief time and then tomatoes are cooked until soft. This step is very essential to remove the raw flavor of tomatoes.

Lastly, we pour the water and bring it to a rolling boil. Incorporate the semolina into the boiling water by stirring continuously until all of the water is absorbed and the semolina is cooked through.

For more upma varieties, you can check
Rava upma
Bread upma
Semiya upma
Oats upma
Poha/ aval upma

How to Make Tomato Upma (Stepwise Photos)

Roast rava

1. Add ½ cup rava to a kadai or pan. Roast on a medium flame until crunchy & slightly aromatic, making sure not to brown it. While roasting the rava, slice onions and chop tomatoes and green chilies. Set the rava aside preferably to a bowl for easy pouring.

Tomato Upma - Swasthi's Recipes (2)

Temper the Spices

2. Heat 1 to 1 ½ tablespoon oil or ghee. Ghee imparts a great aroma to your tomato upma. Add ½ mustard seeds, ½teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon chana dal, 1 teaspoon urad dal and 10 split cashews all at one time. Fry until the dal turn golden.

Tomato Upma - Swasthi's Recipes (3)

3. Add 1 sprig curry leaves, 1 to 2 green chilies and 1 small chopped or sliced onion. Saute until the onions turn slightly pink. This takes about 1 to 2 mins.

Tomato Upma - Swasthi's Recipes (4)

4. Next add ¾cup tomatoes (deseeded), 1/8 teaspoon turmeric and ¼ teaspoon salt. Saute for 1 to 2 mins.

Tomato Upma - Swasthi's Recipes (5)

5. Cover and cook until they turn mushy & completely soft. Saute for a few minutes on a high flame to enhance the flavor of tomatoes. This step also removes the raw flavor of tomatoes. Don’t skip this.

Tomato Upma - Swasthi's Recipes (6)

Make Tomato Upma

6. Add 1 ¼ cup water, stir and check the salt. The water must be slightly salty. Bring it to a rolling boil.

Tomato Upma - Swasthi's Recipes (7)

7. Reduce the flame to medium. Slowly pour rava in a stream to the boiling water. While you pour stir the water to incorporate the rava into the water. This also prevent lumps of rava.

Tomato Upma - Swasthi's Recipes (8)

8. Quickly stir once to make sure no lumps have formed.

Tomato Upma - Swasthi's Recipes (9)

9. Cover and cook until the moisture is absorbed. Stir well. Switch off and add coriander leaves. Cover and leave aside for 5 mins.

Tomato Upma - Swasthi's Recipes (10)

Grease a bowl with ghee and scoop the upma to it. Press down evenly with a spoon. Invert it on a plate and shake off gently. Garnish tomato upma with cashews and coriander leaves. Serve hot or warm.

Related Recipes

Upma Recipe, How ...

Chutney powder (P...

Curry Leaves Powd...

Mango Pickle Reci...

Bread Upma Recipe...

Semiya Upma Recip...

Recipe Card

Tomato Upma - Swasthi's Recipes (18)

Tomato Upma

Andhra style tomato upma is one of the upma varieties from South Indian cuisine, made for breakfast or quick dinner. You can also add mixed vegetable like carrots, peas, green beans and capsicum.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Jump to Comments

For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time5 minutes minutes

Cook Time15 minutes minutes

Total Time20 minutes minutes

Servings1

AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )

  • ½ cup semolina (rava/ suji)
  • 1 ¼ cup water
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 to 1½ tablespoons ghee or oil
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon chana dal (bengal gram)
  • 1 teaspoon urad dal (skinned black gram)
  • 10 cashews , Split or as needed
  • 1 to 2 green chilies slit
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 1 Pinch hing
  • 1 onion , medium , sliced
  • 2 pinches turmeric prefer organic
  • ¾ cup tomatoes , chopped, ripe , (preferably deseeded)
  • 2 tablespoons Coriander leaves , finely chopped (optional)

Instructions

Preparation

  • Dry roast rava on a medium heat until it turns crunchy & aromatic. Stir constantly to prevent burning.

  • While it toasts, Wash, deseed and chop tomatoes. Slice onions and green chilies.

  • Transfer the rava to a bowl.

Making tomato upma

  • Heat the same pan with oil or ghee.

  • Add cumin, mustard, dal and cashews. Saute all together until the lentils become golden.

  • Then add onions, curry leaves and green chilies. Saute for 2 to 3 mins. Sprinkle hing.

  • Add chopped tomatoes, turmeric and salt. Saute for 2 mins. Cook covered on a medium heat until they turn mushy. Open the lid and saute on a medium high heat until all of the raw flavor vanishes from tomatoes.

  • Pour water and bring it to a boil. Taste the water and adjust the salt. The water must be slightly salty.

  • When the water comes to a boil, turn the fire to medium. Slowly pour the rava in a stream stirring with the other hand using a ladle. Stir well to check there are no lumps.

  • Cook covered on a medium heat until the water is absorbed.

  • Stir well. Add some more ghee (optional) & chopped coriander leaves.

  • Serve tomato upma hot or warm.

Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.

Video

The below video is to make 4 servings but the method made is same.

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts

Tomato Upma

Amount Per Serving

Calories 641Calories from Fat 171

% Daily Value*

Fat 19g29%

Saturated Fat 10g63%

Cholesterol 38mg13%

Sodium 589mg26%

Potassium 972mg28%

Carbohydrates 100g33%

Fiber 14g58%

Sugar 16g18%

Protein 18g36%

Vitamin A 455IU9%

Vitamin C 78.6mg95%

Calcium 100mg10%

Iron 9.3mg52%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Tried this recipe?Mention @SwasthisRecipes or tag #swasthisrecipes!

© Swasthi’s Recipes

Tomato Upma - Swasthi's Recipes (19)

Tomato Upma first published in August 2016. Updated and republished in July 2022.

Tomato Upma - Swasthi's Recipes (20)

About Swasthi

I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me

Follow Swasthi’s Recipes

Tomato Upma - Swasthi's Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is upma in english? ›

Semolina or coarse rice flour.

What to do if upma is sticky? ›

Upma can become sticky if the rava is not roasted well. Oil: Using the right amount of oil helps to cook up the semolina to a fluffy texture without turning sticky.

How healthy is upma? ›

The nutrition in upma includes proteins, vitamins, minerals, zinc, phosphorus, iron, and carbs which makes it a healthy choice for every age group. Upma keeps your tummy full for a longer duration. The nutrients present in upma keep your heart, bones, kidneys, and immune system healthy and enhance their functioning.

What is the difference between idli Rava and upma rava? ›

Idli Rava is made with Whole Rice, soaked and dried and ground as explained in this recipe. On the other hand, Rava / Semolina/ Upma Rava is made from Durum Wheat which is used to make Rava Pongal ,Ragi Rava Dosa, Rava Idli, Upma, Rava Ladoo, Kichadi, Rava Kesari (Sheera), Rava Kanji etc.

Which country invented upma? ›

Upma, uppumavu, or uppittu is a dish originating from the Indian subcontinent, most common in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtrian, and Sri Lankan Tamil breakfast, cooked as a thick porridge from dry-roasted semolina or coarse rice flour.

What do you serve with upma? ›

The most common side dish for upma would be coconut or onion chutney, sambhar or pickle. But, you could also try eating Upma with sugar or South Indian curries like Kara kuzhambu or puli kuzhambu. Upma tastes the best with these two curries too.

Does upma need to be refrigerated? ›

You can even serve suji ka upma with coconut chutney or lemon pickle or idli podi. Scaling and storing: You can easily halve or double this recipe. Leftover rava upma can be refrigerated for a couple of days. You can even freeze it.

What is Suji made of? ›

Suji is also known as semolina which is called rava in Indian households and it is a by-product of durum wheat. Suji is coarse middling made from durum wheat. The scientific name of durum wheat is Triticum Durum and is a widely used cereal crop in the Mediterranean region.

What is white rava made of? ›

Bombay rava, or ravva, rawa, or sooji, is a durum wheat product and a form of semolina. Rava is made by grinding husked wheat and is used in Indian cuisine to make savoury dishes such as rava dosa, rava idli, upma, and khichdis.

Is upma good for belly fat loss? ›

Upma is low in calories and can be a great option for people who are trying to lose weight. It contains a good amount of fiber that can keep you full. This will help to curb your appetite and also prevent you from eating.

Can diabetics eat upma? ›

You can eat on moderate basis, as it is carbohydrate and you have to check the quantity of your carbohydrate intake in a whole day, accordingly you can eat on daily or alternate day. Was this answer helpful? Yes, in fact you can eat anything which a normal person eats.

Is upma high in sugar? ›

As a source of carbohydrates, upma can cause a spike in blood sugar levels if not balanced with other macronutrients. Pairing upma with protein and fibre-rich foods can help slow down glucose absorption into the bloodstream, promoting more stable blood sugar levels and better glucose metabolism.

What is upma rava called in english? ›

Upma,Rava in english is called 'semolina'. Upma is actually a dish made from 'Rava' i.e 'Semolina' in rnglish language. Upma is basically a south Indian dish which is salty recipe of semolina, which also made in a sweet way called 'halwa' which is like porridge.

How can you tell the difference between rava and sooji? ›

The term "rava" is commonly used in South India to refer to semolina, while "sooji" is more commonly used in North India. However, both terms refer to the same ingredient and can be used interchangeably in recipes.

Which is better rava or rice? ›

Rava is low in fat, making it a permissible food for those wanting to lose weight. In addition, compared to other grains, Rava has fewer calories per serving when compared to rice. For instance, one serving of cooked rice has around 150 calories, while one serving of cooked Rava has about 120 calories.

Why is it called UPMA? ›

Upma, from the Tamil word uppu-mavu (literally, "salt-flour"), is an archaic preparation of broken rice grains or flour cooked with salt, water and sometimes a dash of yoghurt.

What rava is called in English? ›

Suji is also known as semolina which is called rava in Indian households and it is a by-product of durum wheat. Suji is coarse middling made from durum wheat.

What is UPMA rava made of? ›

Bombay rava, or ravva, rawa, or sooji, is a durum wheat product and a form of semolina. Rava is made by grinding husked wheat and is used in Indian cuisine to make savoury dishes such as rava dosa, rava idli, upma, and khichdis.

What is the difference between UPMA and POHA? ›

Poha, a meal made from flattened rice, Upma, a savory semolina-based dish, and Idli, a steamed cake made from fermented rice and lentils, each have their unique set of features and culinary highlights.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Fredrick Kertzmann

Last Updated:

Views: 6602

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (46 voted)

Reviews: 85% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Fredrick Kertzmann

Birthday: 2000-04-29

Address: Apt. 203 613 Huels Gateway, Ralphtown, LA 40204

Phone: +2135150832870

Job: Regional Design Producer

Hobby: Nordic skating, Lacemaking, Mountain biking, Rowing, Gardening, Water sports, role-playing games

Introduction: My name is Fredrick Kertzmann, I am a gleaming, encouraging, inexpensive, thankful, tender, quaint, precious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.