Tomato Masala Upma Recipe: Delicious South Indian Food
How to Make South Indian-Style Tomato Masala Upma
Upma is a traditional Indian dish that can be made in many different ways, including with semolina, broken wheat, hyacinth bean, rice rava and so on. It is traditionally served for breakfast, either plain or with chutney, though it can also be served for lunch or a snack.
Semolina upma, or rava upma, is a famous South Indian dish that can either be plain or prepared with vegetables. It's very tasty, healthy, and can be prepared quickly.
Cook Time
Prep time | Cook time | Ready in | Yields |
---|---|---|---|
5 min | 15 min | 20 min | 2 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 cup medium rava or Bombay rava
- 3 tablespoons + 1 spoon ghee (clarified butter)
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1–2 red chilies, broken
- 1–2 sprigs curry leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon hing (asafoetida)
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1/2 cup peas, fresh or frozen
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1 teaspoon vangibath powder (optional)
- Salt to taste
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 cup fresh coconut, grated
Instructions
- In a pan, add rava and roast over medium flame till it is aromatic (it will turn crispy and light). Once done, transfer to a plate and set aside.
- In a pan, heat ghee and oil. Splutter mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Add red chilies, curry leaves and hing. Fry for a few seconds.
- Add chopped tomatoes and saute till they shrink.
- Add peas and saute for a few seconds.
- Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder and optional vangibath powder. Mix well. Add salt to taste and mix.
- Add water, close the lid and let the water comes to a boil.
- Once the water starts to boil, turn the flame to low and add roasted rava gradually. Stir to avoid forming lumps. The rava will start to absorb the water.
- Close the lid and cook over low flame till the rava absorbs the water completely.
- Add grated coconut and ghee for extra flavor (optional). Mix well and switch off the flame. Close the lid for a few minutes before serving.
- Tasty and flavorful upma is ready to serve. Serve hot with chutney or plain.
Photo Guide

Roast rava over medium flame till aromatic (it will turn crisp and light). Once done, transfer to a plate and set aside.

In a pan, heat 2 tablespoons ghee and 2 tablespoons oil. Splutter 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds. Add 1–2 red chilies, 1–2 sprigs curry leaves and 1/4 teaspoon hing. Fry for a few seconds.

Add 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder and optional 1 teaspoon vangibath powder. Mix well.
Cooking Notes
- I used medium-sized rava or Bombay rava for this recipe. Other types of rava can also be used.
- You can omit the ghee for this dish, though ghee does add extra flavor.
- Adding vangibath powder is optional.
- Use fresh coconut for the most flavorful upma.