Stovetop: Upma, Savory Cream of Wheat

September 11, 2026

SAVORY FOR BREAKFAST? YES, PLEASE! 

Much of Asia eats savory breakfast. In Japan it was fish, seaweed, miso soup and soba noodles; in Hong Kong fish and rice; in North India breads stuffed with spicy morsels; and, on the South Indian table dosa, idli, and a deliciously simple dish called upma. So simple that it was shocking to many Indians I know when Chef Floyd Cardoz stunningly won Top Chef Masters in 2011 by serving a wild mushroom upma during the finale. I was traveling in Kerala the next year for my show and was greeted by almost everyone from the three-wheel scooter drivers to the hotel managers by the win over 'simple upma'.  

Upma, pronounced oop-mah, is made with sooji (cream of wheat), a tarka of oil or ghee, mustard seeds, various vegetables and nuts, and fresh curry leaves. What in the West is typically turned into a creamy, milky sweet cereal is transformed here into a savory dish. My Punjabi mother learned to make upma from our many South Indian friends and we grew up loving it. One trick that makes quite a difference is dry roasting the sooji first for just five minutes — no more. The color should be light as in the example below to the left. 

Keep an eye on it as you dry roast. 

Just two extra minutes can dramatically change the color and texture of your upma as you can see above. We want the sooji lightly toasted like the photo on the left rather than on the right, where it is darker and slightly drier. Pull it from the heat as soon as it’s ready. This small step helps create light, fluffy upma instead of a darker, drier dish.

Eat your dish with a dollop of butter, sliced banana, and/or a piece of toast with spicy Indian pickle on the side. If you are looking for gluten-free options, substitute cream of rice (now found in many grocers). This version is adapted from the recipe I offered in my third book Vegan Indian Cooking on page 77. Now on to trying it with some wild mushrooms. Stay tuned! 

xoxo Anupy

Stovetop: Upma, Savory Cream of Wheat

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup sooji (cream of wheat)
  
• ¼ cup raw, unsalted broken cashews
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil like coconut, ghee, or a combination
  
• ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds
  
• 10-12 curry leaves
  
• 2-3 dried red chiles, slightly broken
  
• ½ cup yellow or red onion, minced
  
• ¼ cup diced carrots
  
• ¼ cup frozen peas
  
• 1-3 Thai or serrano chiles, stems removed and thinly sliced
  
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  
• 2 cups hot, boiling water
  
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

1. Heat a medium-sized, heavy pan over medium-high heat until warm. Add the sooji and dry roast until just toasted, about 5 minutes (no more). The key is to stir frequently so the sooji does not burn and to pull it off the heat before it browns too much. Even two minutes of extra roasting really changes the look and texture of the finished dish, making it darker in color — we want it to stay light. As soon as it is done cooking, transfer to a plate to cool. Dry roasting the sooji helps prevent the final dish from getting soggy. 
2. Carefully wipe down the pan, place it back on medium-high heat, add the cashews, and dry roast them until just brown, about two minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. 
3. Again, place the pan on medium-high heat to warm. Add the oil and once it warms, add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, and dried chiles. Be careful, this can splash oil so keep the lid handy. Stir and cook for about 30 seconds until the seeds pop, sizzle, and turn slightly grey.
4. Add the onion and stir — cook for 30 seconds. Add the carrots and stir — cook for 1 minute. Add the peas and stir — cook for 30 seconds. Add the fresh chiles and stir — cook for 30 seconds. Add the roasted sooji and salt. Stir. 
5. Place the lid on your pan, but leave an opening large enough to slowly pour in the water. Using boiling hot water is important so you don’t reduce the temperature in the pan and risk the sooji getting soggy. The mixture will start to bubble immediately, so be careful. Once it settles down, remove the lid and start to stir until the water is absorbed, about three minutes. Some recipes call for a little more or a little less water — tweak it as you wish. 
6. Add the cashews, turn the heat off, cover the pan completely, and let the mixture sit on the same burner for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and stir well. Serve immediately with a dollop of butter and/or a sliced ripe banana and toast. All the spices, including the curry leaves, are edible.

Watch me Make it

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