Cracked wheat has an interesting texture that is kind of grainy but soft and fluffy, making it perfect for this dish. Called ‘Dalia’ in Hindi language, this is a product of milled whole wheat. It does contain gluten, so folks with gluten allergies will have to stay away from this, sorry.

 

Upma

 

This is one of my favorite upma recipes! It is also one of my go-to breakfast dishes. For those who are unfamiliar with upma, it is a savory, porridge like dish with different ingredients. To name a few, there’s sooji (semolina) upma, vermicelli upma, poha (flattened rice) upma and so on. While some upma recipes use lots of veggies, most of them just have onions and may be tomatoes. Sooji Upma is probably the only upma recipe that is used as a filling in a crepe called Pesarattu-I love this dish!

 

Sooji Upma

Seasoning

 

As with most South Indian dishes, this recipe starts with seasoning. This includes curry leaves, chana dal, mustard and cumin seeds and a small piece of dry red chili pepper. Seasoning ingredients change, depending on the dish. Some don’t include curry leaves. Urad dal is used instead of chana dal in some. Fenugreek seeds are used in certain recipes. Interesting, isn’t it? I occasionally wonder how or why these specific ingredients were included. The important thing though is that you automatically associate with the flavor of the seasoning in the dish.

Seasoning Ingredients

 

Ginger & Indian Chili Pepper

 

In addition to seasoning ingredients what makes this dish stand out for me, is ginger and Indian chili pepper. When I was a kid I used to wince every time I bit into a piece of ginger, so my mom stopped using it in some recipes. Now, I can’t get enough of ginger! I just load up as much as I can, without overwhelming the dish. I’m also a big fan of spicy food, so instead of adding a whole piece of chili pepper, I cut it fine, so it brings in the kick! There’s something about Indian chili pepper-it is flavorful but not over-the-top hot.

 

Indian Chili Pepper

Indian Chili Pepper

 

Pairing

 

Lastly of course, is what goes best with this upma. My favorite combo with this is Spicy Sweet Tangy Tomato Chutney. They complement each other so well! Also, since my breakfasts tend to be somewhat carb heavy, I always start with guacamole. As you are probably aware, eating healthy fats or protein and veggies BEFORE carbs helps even out blood sugar level. I’ve shown both stove top and Instant Pot (IP) versions of this recipe. Do try it. You’ll love it!

 

Why is this Healthy?

Cracked wheat contains wheat bran and wheat germ and is an excellent source of fiber. It provides 5 g of fiber per 1/4 cup, which is 20 percent of the Daily Value (DV). Vegetables bring in more nutrients and fiber, making this a wholesome meal.

 

While you’re here, don’t forget to check out some of our delicious South Indian breakfast recipes!

 

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Cracked Wheat Vegetable Upma

This savory, porridge like dish made with cracked wheat and South Indian spices is delicious! Enjoy it as a snack or breakfast dish with spicy, tangy, tomato chutney.
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine Indian
Keyword Cracked Wheat, cracked wheat upma, Curry Leaves, dalia upma, Ginger, Healthy, savory breakfast recipe, seasoning, South Indian, Spicy
Special Diet No Added Sugar, Nut Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 2 People
Calories 158kcal

Ingredients

  • 1/3 Cup Cracked Wheat
  • 1/2 Chili Dry Red Chili
  • 6 Leaves Curry Leaves - Split to Small Pieces
  • 1 Teaspoon Chana Dal
  • 1/8 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
  • 1 Pinch Cumin Seeds
  • 1/8 Cup Green Peas - Fresh or Frozen
  • 1/8 Cup Potato - Fine Cut
  • 1 Chili Green Chili Pepper - Medium, Fine Cut
  • 1 Tablespoon Ginger - Grated
  • 1/4 Cup Tomato - Fine Cut
  • 1/4 Cup Onion - Fine Cut
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt - Or To Taste
  • 2 Teaspoons Ghee - Organic (Vegans - substitute with Coconut Oil)
  • 1 Cup Filtered water

Instructions

  • Make sure you have everything ready before you start cooking: 1. Seasoning Ingredients (curry leaves, dry red chili pepper, mustard and cumin seeds, chana dal) 2. Fine cut ginger and chili pepper 3. Cracked wheat 4. Green peas, potato, tomato, onion
  • Stove Top Method:
    Add one teaspoon of ghee to a pan and heat on medium flame for 1 minute.
    1. Sauté seasoning ingredients. Add ginger, chili pepper, cook for a minute and add onion, tomato, potato, peas.
    2. Add cracked wheat, salt, mix well and cook for a minute
    3. Add water and cook till most of the water evaporates
    4. Transfer to a bowl and steam it in a rice cooker for about 10 minutes.
  • Instant Pot (IP) Method:
    1. Set IP on 'sauté' mode and wait for the 'hot' sign to show up; add 1 teaspoon ghee and sauté seasoning ingredients till you hear a crackle of the mustard seeds
    2. Add onion, potato, tomato, green peas and sauté for a couple of minutes
    3. Add cracked wheat, salt, mix well and cook for a minute
    4. Add 1.5 cups of water and mix well
    5. Close the lid and set IP in 'steam' mode for 10 minutes
    6. When it is done, mix well and transfer to a serving dish

Notes

Goes well with tomato chutney, coconut tomato chutney, coconut chutney or idli powder.
*Use organic ingredients wherever possible

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Cracked Wheat Vegetable Upma
Serving Size
 
150 g
Amount per Serving
Calories
158
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
6
g
9
%
Saturated Fat
 
3
g
19
%
Cholesterol
 
13
mg
4
%
Sodium
 
301
mg
13
%
Potassium
 
187
mg
5
%
Carbohydrates
 
23
g
8
%
Fiber
 
5
g
21
%
Sugar
 
2
g
2
%
Protein
 
4
g
8
%
Vitamin A
 
517
IU
10
%
Vitamin C
 
128
mg
155
%
Calcium
 
25
mg
3
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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