Vermicelli Upma (Semiya Upma)

5 from 6 votes

Vermicelli/Semiya Upma is a traditional and popular South Indian breakfast made with vermicelli and vegetables.

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine Indian, South Indian

Keyword instant pot vermicelli upma, semiya upma, seviyan upma

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Method Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 164kcal

Dry roast the vermicelli in a pan over medium-low flame until it turns light golden brown. I have used roasted Bambino vermicelli for this recipe.
Heat oil in a Kadai, add mustard seeds, jeera seeds. Allow them to crackle.
Add urad dal, chana dal, and cashew nuts. Saute until the dal turns to light golden color.
Next, add green chilies, ginger, curry leaves, and hing (asafoetida). Saute for a few seconds until aromatic.
Add chopped onion and cook until the onion becomes light brown.
Next, add the chopped mixed vegetables and sauté for around 2 minutes until the veggies become soft and tender.
Add turmeric and salt, and cook for another minute.
Next, add 2 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Check for salt at this stage and adjust seasoning if needed.
Add the roasted vermicelli to the kadai and mix well. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the vermicelli absorbs all the water completely.
Squeeze fresh lime juice over the vermicelli upma, garnish with coriander leaves, and freshly grated coconut if desired. Gently mix and serve hot.

If using unroasted vermicelli, dry roast it in the Instant Pot on Saute mode until it turns light golden brown. I used store-bought roasted Bambino vermicelli for this recipe, so I skipped the roasting step.
To begin with the Instant Pot, press SAUTE mode and heat oil or ghee. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds (jeera), urad dal, and chana dal. Saute until the dals turn light golden brown.
Then add green chilies, ginger, curry leaves, hing, and saute for a few seconds.
Add chopped onion and saute until the onion becomes light brown.
Add mixed vegetables, saute for 1-2 minutes, and then add roasted vermicelli, turmeric powder, salt, and water. Mix well.
Close the lid securely, and turn the vent to "SEALING". Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and set the cooking time to 1 minute.
When the instant pot beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then release any remaining pressure before removing the lid.
Finally, remove the steel insert from the Instant Pot. Squeeze some lemon juice and garnish with fresh coriander leaves and freshly grated coconut, if desired. Gently fluff the vermicelli with a fork before serving.

I have prepared this dish in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT

Use Roasted Vermicelli: Always use roasted vermicelli, raw vermicelli will make the upma mushy.
Other Vegetables: You can use vegetables of your choice like broccoli, mushroom, and potato.
Kids: For kids school lunch box, you can replace oil with ghee, which makes it a healthier choice. Also, you can reduce the number of green chilies.
Nuts: You can also add roasted peanuts (groundnuts) or cashews to make it healthier and crunchier.
Quantity: You can double or triple the recipe with the same pressure cooking time.
Water: use the right amount of water to achieve the desired texture and consistency.

Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.