If there is one recipe you should have for a quick weeknight dinner or a hearty weekend breakfast then this instant pot cracked wheat upma is for you. Godhuma rava / dalia / cracked wheat is rich in fiber and when combined with vegetables makes an ideal dish to start your day with. It is simple, comforting and with the instant pot such a quick recipe to make.
Growing up, I was not a fan of this cracked wheat upma. But mom did not add veggies in it and the texture of the rava that she used to get back then was a little bigger than what I get these days. I preferred the less healthier rava upma to godhuma rava. But the grown up me, is a fan of this upma and I can’t really understand why I did not like it back then. Thankfully my little one loves this upma too and therefore this makes a weekly appearance in our menu.
Cracked Wheat Upma Ingredients
So what do you usually eat this cracked wheat upma with?? If I make this just for the adults at home, who can handle a bit of heat, I add some extra green chillies to crank up the heat and eat it as such or with a side of yogurt. But as kids, me and my sister used to relish upmas with some sugar sprinkled on it. If you think that is a weird combo, trust me and give it a try! It is delicious 🙂 Even now, I sometimes sprinkle a bit of sugar to the last few spoons of upma and end the meal on a slightly sweet note. But you could go the traditional way and serve with with some chutney and sambar.
Here are some chutney recipes that would go well with this instant pot broken wheat upma –Peanut chutney, Onion tomato chutney, 15 minute tomato thokku, spinach chutney
Upma does not need a lot of spices or masalas. They are meant to be simple and hence served with accompaniments like a chutney or sambar. But if do not want the hassle of making sides for this dish, you could get creative and add some sambar powder, chilly powder, turmeric powder etc to give it more flavor. It would still taste great, but I wouldnt call it upma.
It is important to roast the cracked wheat properly to avoid clumping in upmas. Here’s a picture of the rava before and after roasting.
Roasted cracked wheat (rava)
Nutritious and simple south Indian breakfast with broken wheat / dalia and veggies
- 1 cup broken wheat / dalia / godhuma rava
- 1 cup finely chopped onions
- 1 cup mixed vegetables (I used frozen veggies)
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves chopped
- 1 tbsp coconut oil/ oilve oil
- 2 cups water
- 11/2 tsp oil (coconut or olive oil)
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp urad dal
- 1 tsp chana dal
- 2 to 3 green chillies slit
- 1 sprig curry leaves (about 7 to 8 leaves)
- 1/8 tsp asafoetida
- 1/2 tsp ginger finely chopped (optional, but lends a nice aroma)
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Switch on the saute mode in your IP and add the 1 tbsp oil. Now add the rava / cracked wheat and roast it patiently for 3 to 4 minutes. (can add less oil than mentioned while roasting). Keep stirring to avoid burning of the rava. When you get a nice aroma, transfer it to another container to cool.
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Now add the oil mentioned under " to temper" and let it become hot.
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When the oil becomes hot, add the mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, curry leaves, green chilly, ginger, asafoetida and let the mustard seeds pop.
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Now add the onions and saute until translucent.
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When the onions are done, add the veggies, roasted rava (broken wheat) and switch off the saute mode.
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Microwave the 2 cups water for a minute and add the water to the instant pot. Alternatively, you can heat them in the stove.
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Add the salt needed for the upma (around 1/2 tsp), mix eveything well and close the lid
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Cook on manual high for 1 minute.
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Release pressure naturally
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Serve your cracked wheat upma hot, garnished with coriande leaves and a side of chutney.
- No need to roast the crack wheat if using pre roasted rava.
- Do not miss the step of roasting the rava. It is very imporatnt to get a good texture in the upma
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Hi, followed this recipe today for Godhuma rava upma on IP. I got BURN error before it went into pressure cook mode. How to avoid getting it?
Oh is it? It shouldn’t because we add 2 cups of water to cook the rava. When you sauteed the onions and veggies, did they stick to the bottom? If so please add few tablespoons of water and deglaze the pan (scrape the bottom before you switch on the pressure cook mode. Also if your instant pot is new, it could get a little time getting used to. You could try adding 1/4 cup water extra next time.
No they didn’t stick to the bottom. My IP is relatively new I can say. I have been using since 3 months. Sure , I’ll try out your suggestions next time. Thanks Pree
Hi Meenakshi, I found this article and I think it might be useful 🙂 https://www.paintthekitchenred.com/instant-pot-burn-message/
Thank you. Very useful link to troubleshoot.
Upma loaded with veggies is one of my favorites and I love to have it for dinner. Haven’t tried making it with godhuma but would love to. Wondering if I can coarsely ground broken wheat we get for lapsi to make it a bit finer.
Me too! It s such a fullfilling meal 🙂
This sounds like a great dish for lunch boxes too and adding vegetables makes it healthy and filling too.
Isnt it!? I can make this any time of the day. It is perfect for lunch, dinner and breakfast!
Upma is one of my favourite breakfast options too and I too make it with Godhuma Rava instead of Semolina. It is much healthier and filling too and I totally vouch for that sprinkling of sugar on the top. Takes you back to those childhood days when eating without a care in the world and not worrying about calories was fun! Loved your blog and happy to connect!
Thank you so much!:) 🙂 Yes, eating it with a sprinkle of sugar does remind me of childhood days and mom’s love!