Name: Rava Upma with Peanuts
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: Serves 2 adults + toddler
Cuisine: Indian (Jain)
Ingredients: 1 cup Rava (semolina / sooji); ⅓ cup Raw peanuts; 2¾ cups Water; 1 tsp Fresh ginger, grated; 1–2 (adults) Green chili, slit; 2 tbsp Ghee; 1 tsp Mustard seeds; ½ tsp Cumin seeds; ¼ tsp Hing; 8–10 Curry leaves; 10–12 Cashews, optional; ½ cup Capsicum, finely diced; 1 medium Tomato, chopped; ¼ tsp Turmeric; Salt, to taste; 1 tsp Lemon juice; 2 tbsp Fresh coriander; 1–2 tbsp Boiled potato, diced (toddler)

Semolina

Rava Upma with Peanuts

◆ Night prep: none ◆ Morning: 20 min ◆ Serves 2 adults + toddler

~14–16g protein per adult serving (peanuts are the primary source)

Ingredients

Main

Rava (semolina / sooji)1 cup
Raw peanuts⅓ cup
Water2¾ cups
Fresh ginger, grated1 tsp
Green chili, slit1–2 (adults)
Ghee2 tbsp

Tempering

Mustard seeds1 tsp
Cumin seeds½ tsp
Hing¼ tsp
Curry leaves8–10
Cashews, optional10–12

Vegetables

Capsicum, finely diced½ cup
Tomato, chopped1 medium
Turmeric¼ tsp
Saltto taste
Lemon juice1 tsp
Fresh coriander2 tbsp
Boiled potato, diced (toddler)1–2 tbsp

Method

1 Dry roast rava and peanuts

Heat a wide pan on medium; add rava (1 cup) — dry roast 3–4 min, stirring constantly until lightly golden and fragrant
Remove and set aside
In the same pan, dry roast peanuts (⅓ cup) on medium 3–4 min until skins blister; set aside
Let the peanuts cool, then rub off any loose skins

2 Tempering

Heat ghee (2 tbsp) in the pan on medium
Add mustard seeds (1 tsp) — splutter; add cumin seeds (½ tsp)
Add hing (¼ tsp), curry leaves (8–10), cashews (10–12) if using — stir 30 sec
Add ginger (1 tsp) — cook 20 sec
Add capsicum (½ cup) and tomato (1 medium); cook 2 min
Add turmeric (¼ tsp) and salt (to taste); stir

👶 Toddler — pull portion here (before chili)

Scoop out the cooked vegetables (3–4 tbsp) into a separate small pan now — before adding green chili to the main pan
Add water (¼ cup) and roasted rava (3 tbsp) to her pan; cook on low, stirring until soft and water absorbed
Stir in crushed peanuts (1 tsp) or ghee (a drop)
Optional: add finely diced boiled potato (1–2 tbsp) for extra bulk

3 Add chili and cook upma

Add green chili (1–2) to the adult pan; cook 20 sec
Bring water (2½ cups) to a boil in a separate pot; pour into the tempering pan carefully
Reduce heat to medium-low; slowly add remaining roasted rava (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) while stirring continuously to avoid lumps
Stir in remaining roasted peanuts (5 tbsp)
Cover and cook 3–4 min on low until rava absorbs all water
Finish with lemon juice (1 tsp) and coriander (2 tbsp)

Tip Roasting rava before cooking is non-negotiable — it prevents lumpy upma. Add water slowly and stir constantly as it goes in.