Avarekalu Upma (Karnataka Style Avarekai Upittu)
Karnataka Style Avarekai Upma recipe is a popular breakfast dish in Karnataka. The main ingredient added to this recipe is the avarekalu beans to make it crunchy and taste to the whole dish.
Servings 2
Calories 132kcal
Ingredients
- ½ cup sooji rava/semolina ( I used bansi rava)
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- ¾ cup avarekai (surti papdi lilva) (boiled and cooked in salted water)
- 1-2 teaspoons vangi bath powder ( I used MTR brand)
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin (jeera seeds)
- ½ teaspoon split urad dal
- 1 green chili slit lengthwise
- 1 stalk curry leaves
- 1 pinch hing (asafoetida)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
- ½ teaspoon sugar (optional)
- 2-3 tablespoons oil
- 1 ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves
- 2 tablespoons grated coconut
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- salt as per taste
Instructions
- Dry roast bansi rava in a Kadai on medium-low heat, stirring continuously for 4-5 minutes until evenly roasted. Make sure the rava does not brown at the bottom, and look for a golden color and nutty aroma for a perfectly roasted rava. Transfer the roasted rava to a plate and set it aside.Pre-roast the sooji or use store-bought roasted rava in advance to save time on busy mornings.
- Cook avarekalu with salt in boiling water until soft, then keep aside.Note: I used frozen avarekalu from the Indian store, so I boiled it for just 5 minutes. You can microwave it as well for convenience.
- Heat oil in a Kadai on medium heat. Add mustard seeds and jeera, and then let the mustard seeds crackle.
- Then add split urad dal, one pinch of hing (asafoetida), curry leaves, green chili, and saute until the dals change color.
- Next, add finely chopped onion and saute till it turns light brown.
- Add boiled avarekai, turmeric powder, vangi bath powder, salt to taste, sugar (optional), and cook for 2-3 minutes till the raw smell of avarekalu goes away.
- Add 1 ½ cups of water to the mixture and bring it to a boil. After the water comes to a boil, add roasted rava a little at a time and continuously stir using a wooden spatula to avoid lumps.Always follow a 1:3 ratio — for every 1 cup of rava, add 3 cups of water.
- Cook covered for about 2-3 mins on medium-low flame until the water is fully absorbed. Once done, add lime juice, coriander leaves, grated coconut, and a little homemade ghee and mix well. Remove from stove and serve hot.
Notes
Expert Tips
- Avoid burning the rava by roasting it on medium-low flame and stirring continuously.
- Fresh avarekalu tastes much better than frozen ones.
- Rava to water ratio should be 1:3 for soft and yummy upma.
- I also like to add 1-2 teaspoons of ghee at the end to enhance the flavors; however, it's optional.
Variations
- You can use bombay/chiroti rava (white-colored sooji)
- If you don't have vangibath powder, then replace it with rasam powder or (red chili powder + coriander powder), or skip it.
- You can replace avarekai with edamame beans. You can also add mixed vegetables like green beans, carrots, and potatoes.
- Add more green chilies If you like spicy upma.
Nutrition
Calories: 132kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 3.5g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 179mg | Potassium: 191mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2.6g | Vitamin A: 400IU | Vitamin C: 46.2mg | Calcium: 170mg | Iron: 7.7mg