Uppumavu(Kerala Style) | Traditional Upma | Rava Upma | Sooji Upma

How many of you remember Mohanlal in a Malayalam movie explaining the meaning of 'uppumavu' in English to students?? As per him, it was 'uppu' aka salt and 'mavu' aka mango tree. Salt-Mango tree, lol !!!  😂

Kerala style uppumavu(upma) is nothing much hi-fi to write upon.But it was a hi-fi one to me soon after my marriage and when I actually started to learn cooking (apart from the watching & helping jobs in mom's kitchen).When I write that, many of you might be wondering -Is upma making a complicated process ?? No, dear friends, definitely not.However, to get the right texture of upma required many trials to actually master that skill of the typical Kerala style uppumavu.I don't know how many might agree to this difference of Kerala uppumavu(upma) from other southern states upma.The Kerala uppumavu(upma) has a soft texture(poo pole; meaning flower like).Last time when I went to Kerala, I happened to make this for my family and my dad was totally impressed by the soft texture.And that's the best compliment for this uppumavu.If you don't get your uppumavu in the desired texture (becomes sticky and lump form), then go ahead and give this a try.Enjoy too !!!

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Ingredients
roasted upma rava/semolina /suji coarse 2 cups
water 2- 2 1/4 cups
onion 1/2 chopped fine
green chillies 2 finely chopped
ginger 1"chopped fine
curry leaves few
urad dal/chana dal 1tsp
mustard seeds 1tsp
oil 4 tbsp or 2tbsp ghee + 2tbsp oil (preferably coconut oil)
salt

Method

• If you have roasted rava, skip this step.I usually buy unroasted rava and then roast at home.Sieve the rava and roast the rava on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring continuously until you get a nice aroma and shouldn't be browned.Switch off flame and take out in a plate.
• In the same pan, heat oil.When oil is hot, splutter mustard seeds.Add chana dal or urad dal, sauté.Add in the chopped onion, green chillies and ginger, sauté until onion turns translucent.Add salt.
• Add in 2 cups of water and bring to a boil on medium flame.If you have another person to help, then ask them to gently pour the rava in the boiled water, and you keep stirring on low medium flame.If you have no help, hold the rava plate in one hand, pour little by little (but quickly) and with the other hand keep stirring.Just keep a watch not to get lumps, keep stirring until you have fluffy soft textured rawa about a minute later and the water is all evaporated.
• Remove from heat immediately, continue to stir the uppumavu until the cooked upma breaks in granules and looks warm. It may need 3-5 minutes of stirring after removing from heat. Leave covered till serving.
• Serve with banana (kids love that) or sprinkle some sugar or a simple onion tomato masala / sambar.

NOTES
*You can add finely grated carrots too in this upma, tastes good.Sauté with onions.
*I have mentioned water 2 cups -2 1/4 cups water.It may vary slightly with each packet of rava.I use 2 cups of water, works correct for me to get the soft, fluffy(poov pole) texture.
*Don't reduce the oil amount, as that adds to the correct texture.
*You can even add ghee(2tbsp) + oil(2tbsp) combo for the same measure, adds flavour and softness.
*Don't dump all the rava together else you get a fat lump instead of the soft rava and also keep the flame on low medium else the rava at the bottom will stick to the pan.

For more Kerala Traditional Breakfast recipes, Click here.