Instant Pot Rava Upma – Sooji Upma – Semolina – Suji

Enjoy a delicious bowl of Instant Pot Rava Upma – Sooji Upma – Semolina – Suji. This smooth, mildly flavored, and savory thick-porridge takes about 20 minutes from start to finish and is the perfect way to start your day. It can be enjoyed as a breakfast or an evening snack.

What is Sooji?

Sooji is granulated wheat and is also known as semolina or rava. People in northern India call it sooji, while people in southern India call it rava. It is also used to make dosa (south Indian pancake). The word semolina is derived from the Italian word semolina, which means bran.

What Ingredients do I need to make Instant Pot Rava Upma – Sooji Upma – Semolina – Suji?

Ginger garlic paste: I used the combined packaged ginger garlic paste available in the Indian store. You can also mince fresh ginger and garlic to make your own paste.

Sooji: Pre- roasted kind available in the Indian grocery store. You can also pre-roast it yourself in case you don’t have the pre-roasted kind.

Peanuts: I use salted and roasted planters peanuts. Since they were already roasted I added them in the end. If you don’t have roasted peanuts you can use raw skinless peanuts roast them separately and add them in the end.

Lemon juice: I use the the store bought  bottled lemon juice for the convenience factor. You can use either freshly squeezed lemon juice or store bought…..whichever works better for you.

Water: The water needs to be boiling when you add it to the sooji.

Vegetables: Frozen organic vegetables. The mix that contains corn, peas, green beans, and carrots. Again, it is convenient. I personally feel that the vegetables are flash frozen and are very convenient to use. It saves me the trouble of chopping, peeling etc. Using frozen vegetables are definitely a time saver. You can choose to add your own choice of vegetables or even one kind if you wish.

Other ingredients: Ghee, mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida, urad dal, onions, serrano pepper, dried red chili peppers, salt and freshly chopped cilantro.

How to make Instant Pot Rava Upma – Sooji Upma – Semolina – Suji?

The sooji needs to be dry roasted. I typically buy the roasted kind of sooji. It specifically states roasted upma sooji on the packaging. If you don’t have the pre-roasted kind of sooji then you can dry roast the sooji in a pan. Heat the pan on medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the sooji. Keep stirring. Once the pan is hot, you need to watch the sooji since it can burn quickly. Keep stirring till all the moisture evaporates and it becomes free-flowing.

Select sauté on the instant pot and add ghee.

When the ghee is hot add mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida and urad dal. 

When the mustard seeds splutter, add the onions, Serrano pepper and dried red chili peppers.

When the onions turn golden add the ginger garlic paste. Add the frozen veggies and saute them for a minute. Press cancel. Then add the roasted sooji. Add boiling water, salt, and lemon juice. Stir well. Make sure nothing is stuck to the bottom.

Close the lid and select manual for 2 minute. Quick pressure release. Take the insert out, top with roasted peanuts, lemon juice and cilantro. Let the upma sit in the insert for a few minutes before serving. Mix well and scrape the stuck upma off from the bottom.

Tried this recipe yet? Give us a rating, comment below in the reply section and let us know what you think.

Tried this recipe yet? Give us a rating, comment below in the reply section and let us know what you think.

Try some of our other recipes:

Instant Pot Aloo Poha

Instant Pot Dalia Upma / Bulgur Wheat

Instant Pot Vermicelli Upma

Instant Pot Rava Upma – Sooji Upma – Semolina – Suji

Shilpa

This delicious upma recipe makes a very comforting breakfast.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine Indian

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 and 1/4 tsp  mustard seeds (rai)
• 10 curry leaves (kadi patta)
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida (heeng)
• 1 tsp black gram lentils
  
  (urad dal)
• 1/2 onion (finely chopped)
• 2 whole dried red chili peppers
  
  
• 1 serrano pepper (slit lengthwise into 2 halves)
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste (either freshly minced in equal quantities or store bought)
• 1.5 cups vegetables (frozen)
• 1 cup sooji
  
  (roasted kind or pre-roasted at home)
• 3 cups water (boiling)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup peanuts (unsalted and roasted) (If you are using raw peanuts with the skin then roast the peanuts for 1 minute in the microwave, mix them to prevent burning and roast them again for another minute until they are slightly golden. Peel the skin when cool).
  
  
• 1/3 cup cilantro

Instructions

 

Prep

• Chop the onions and cilantro finely. Slit the Serrano pepper into 2 halves longitudinally.
• If you are not using the pre roasted peanuts and sooji dry roast both of them separately.

Cook

• Select sauté on the instant pot and adjust to normal.
• Add ghee to the pot. When the ghee is hot add mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida and urad dal.
• When the mustard seeds splutter add the onions. Keep stirring to prevent the onions from burning.
• Whe the onions turn golden add the red dried chili peppers, Serrano pepper, and ginger garlic paste. Give it a good stir.
• Add the frozen vegetables and let it saute for about 30 seconds to a minute. Keep stirring.
• Press cancel. Add the sooji, boiling water, lemon juice and salt.
• Stir well. Make sure nothing is stuck to the bottom of the pot and scrape the bottom of the pot well.
• Secure the lid on the pot and close the pressure-release valve. Select manual at high pressure for 2 minutes.
  
  
• When cooking is done open the lid. There wont be a whole lot of pressure build up since the cook time is minimal. Remove the stainless steel insert and let the upma sit in it for a few minutes.
• Garnish with peanuts and cilantro. Serve.

Notes

• There may be some upma stuck to the bottom of the pot. Once you let it sit for a few minutes after the cooking process it can be scrapped off easily.
• You can add additional lemon juice if you like.
• This dish is not very spicy. On a level of 1 to 5, I would place it at 2.5 in terms of spice levels. You can add an additional Serrano pepper for more heat.
• This recipe has been tried on a 6-quart instant pot. The proportions may vary depending on the size of the instant pot you choose to use.

Keyword Instant Pot Easy Upma, Instant Pot Rava Upma, Instant Pot Sooji Upma, Instant Pot Suji Upma, Rava Upma, Semolina Upma Instant Pot, Sooji Upma, Suji Upma