Arisi Upma - Rice Upma

#ArisiUpma  #RiceUpma : #Upma is a traditional dish of Tamil Nadu, India prepared from rice. Nowadays upma prepared from sooji ( rawa ) or vermicelli ( semiya ) is more popular.

Many people generally used to say  "I hate upma". But I am sure, if they have relished #riceupma once, then they would definitely fall in love with it.

The prepared quantity is just enough for 3 persons.
Cooking time : 15 - 20 minutes.

Ingredients :

Raw Rice                                       :  1 1/2 cup
Tuvar dhal                                      : 1 Tbsp
Onion                                             : 2
Green Chilly                                    : 4 ( adjust accordingly )
Red Chilly                                       : 1 break into pieces
Mustard seeds                                 : 1 tsp
Gram dhal                                      : 3 tsp
Urad dhal                                       : 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida                                      : 1/2 tsp ( if powder ) or a small piece
Ginger                                             : a small piece, cut and smash
Curry leaves                                   : 10 to 12
Cooking Oil                                     : 3 tsp

Any cooking oil can be used. But if made with gingelly ( till - sesame ) oil upma tastes good with nice aroma.

Method :
Wash rice and tuvar dhal together in a wide mouthed vessel thoroughly and drain water completely.

Keep aside. Allow it to dry.

Remove skin of onion and nicely chop.
Wash curry leaves and dab with kitchen towel to remove water.
Wash green chilly and slit lengthwise into two.
Now keep a thick bottomed vessel or kadai or cooker on a slow flame.
Add 3 tsp of oil.
When oil is hot, add mustard seeds.
Once mustard seeds pop up, add urad dhal, gram dhal, broken red chilly pieces and asafoetida.

When dhal turns golden brown add curry leaves & slit green chilly.

Saute well for few seconds and add onions.
Keep stirring till onion turns into pale pink color.
Then add smashed ginger piece and saute until its raw smell goes off. 
At this stage add salt.
Add 3 cups of water. Now increase flame to HIGH position.
Bring it to boil.

Now take the rice in a mixie jar. 

Run for a few seconds only to grind coarsely.

When it starts boiling turn the stove to SIM position and add rice.

Stir well and cook for 3 minute closing with a lid.
After 3 minutes open the lid and mix well with a ladle.

Again close with a lid and cook for 8 minutes.
In between, open the lid and stir well with a ladle.

Now upma is ready.

After the upma is done it can be kept on the stove at SIM position for another 10 to 15 minutes ( or for 1/2 hour also ) to get a thick layer of golden crust at the bottom of the cooking vessel which is called adai. It tastes yummy and everyone likes it!!!

Have Upma with coconut chutney.

Here upma is served with Pudhina chutney My preference is upma with jaggery.


The adai ( golden crust ) formed at the bottom of the vessel goes well with sugar or jaggery.

Other recipes you may like to try

Rice Sundal

Kodo Millet Sundal

Kodo millet upma

Kuthiraivaali upma

Kodo venthaya kanji

Ideas for Breakfast/Dinner

Tiffin varieties

For accompaniments

Chutney Recipes