Upma With Sevai or Vermicelli Recipe

By Petrina Verma Sarkar

Updated 06/27/18

Upma With Sevai or Vermicelli
Image © Gaurav Masand | Dreamstime.com
Ratings (17)
  • Total: 30 mins
  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 20 mins
  • Yield: 4 Bowls (4 Servings)
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
130 Calories
2g Fat
28g Carbs
5g Protein
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

No matter where you go in India, upma is a hot, favorite breakfast food. It is originally from South India, and you can eat this tasty dish for breakfast, brunch or as a snack—it's so wholesome that you can make a healthy meal of it. Upma is traditionally made with coarse semolina. Try this easy recipe for upma made with "sevai"—which is Hindi for vermicelli. 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sevai
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable, canola or sunflower cooking oil
  • 5 to 6 curry leaves
  • 2 green chillies slit lengthwise
  • 1-inch piece of ginger grated
  • 3/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 2 medium-sized onions chopped fine
  • 2 medium tomatoes chopped fine
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 cups hot water
  • Pinch of turmeric powder
  • Juice of 1/2 lime
  • Chopped coriander to garnish

Steps to Make It

Heat a griddle or flat pan over a medium flame and dry roast the sevai lightly until it turns pale golden brown. Stir frequently. Once done, remove the sevai and place it on a tray or platter.

Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and green chilies. When the spluttering stops, add the grated ginger and stir well. Cook for one minute.

Add onion and fry until it is translucent and soft.

Add tomatoes and cook until they are soft.

Add hot water, turmeric and salt to taste and bring to a boil.

Add the roasted sevai, a little at a time, stirring constantly to prevent any lumps from forming.

Simmer until the upma has the consistency of a very thick porridge. Turn off the burner.

Squeeze lime juice over the upma and mix well.

Garnish with chopped coriander and serve piping hot.

Tip

Serve the upma with freshly prepared mint-coriander chutney.