Ragi Upma

5 from 24 votes

Ragi upma is a variation of upma originating from Karnataka and made with finger millet flour. The natural earthiness of ragi combined with a blend of vegetables and aromatic spices, results in a hearty and satisfying meal. The process involves steaming and fluffing the ragi flour, resulting in a texture akin to suji or rava.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Hindu, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 411kcal

Author: Shilpa Kerur

Ingredients

3 cups ragi flour
½ cup tamarind
1½-2 cups water
1 tablespoon jaggery
2 tablespoon oil
½ cup peanuts
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon chana dal
1 teaspoon urad dal
2 dry red chili
1 sprig curry leaves
1-2 green chili or as per taste
1 large onion finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt adjust as per taste
2 tablespoon cilantro

Instructions

Steam the ragi flour:

Soak tamarind in 1½ cups of warm water for 10 minutes. Extract the pulp and discard the remaining fibrous part.
To the tamarind pulp, add salt and jaggery. Mix well.
Take ragi flour in a large bowl. Slowly add the tamarind water in small batches and rub it into the flour.
Add ½-1 cup more water gradually as needed. The texture must be grainy and damp.
Place this ragi mixture in a steamer bowl and cover it with a plate or aluminum foil,
Steam for 10 minutes. Remove from the steam and set aside.

Make ragi upma:

Place a frying pan or kadhai on medium heat and add oil. Once it heats, add raw peanuts and fry until they are crunchy. Set them aside.
In the same pan, add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
Add dry red chili, chana dal, urad dal, green chili, and curry leaves. Saute for a few seconds.
Add onion and fry until it is translucent.
Add a little salt and give it a mix.
Crumble the steamed ragi and add it. Mix the ragi well. Sprinkle a few drops of water and simmer until the ragi soaks up moisture. Around 8-10 minutes.
Add fried peanuts and cilantro. Mix well and turn off the heat.
Serve hot with accompaniments of your choice.

Notes

Cover the ragi mixture before steaming. Else, the water from the steam will change its texture. After steaming the ragi, fluff it up using a fork while it is still hot. Crumble the ragi flour really well with tamarind water. This will help achieve the grainy texture for the ragi rava upma.

Add lots of onions. It gives great flavor and texture to the upma. Customize this nachni upma by adding vegetables according to your preference. Use a combination of vegetables like carrots, peas, bell peppers, or any other vegetables you enjoy. Finely chopping the vegetables ensures they cook evenly and blend well with the upma.

Nutrition