Rava Vangibath (Spicy Semolina Upma) Recipe
I like to cook and eat natural, healthy, and tasty foods, and I enjoy sharing recipes from my native Indian cuisine.
Rava Vangibath (Spicy Semolina Upma)
A Delicious and Nutritious Meal
Rava vangibath (spicy semolina upma) is a yummy meal that you can make quickly and easily. The main ingredients are wheat semolina, eggplant, mixed vegetables (optional), and spices. One of the main spices is vangibath powder which is the miracle spice mix that makes this dish so tasty and flavorful. I used freshly made vangibath powder in this recipe, but you can also use the store-bought one.
Incorporating mixed vegetables along with the eggplant adds extra nutrition to this dish. I used French beans, carrots, and green peas along with the eggplant. The final dish was colorful and delicious!
To make vangibath, you can use oil or a mixture of oil and ghee. Ghee is healthier and imparts a nice aroma. I recommend the use of oil and ghee in 70-30 proportions.
Serve this dish for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It tastes best hot, though it's also a great lunchbox option. This dish is moderately spicy and remains fresh for a day at room temperature.
Cook Time
| Prep time | Cook time | Ready in | Yields |
|---|---|---|---|
20 min | 20 min | 40 min | 4 or 5 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 cups wheat semolina, medium-sized
- 1/2 cup eggplant, washed and cut in 1-cm cubes, soaked in water for 10 minutes
- 1/2 cup mixed vegetables (optional), chopped lengthwise; I used French beans, green peas, and carrots
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onions
- 1/2 cup finely chopped tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons vangibath powder
- 1 green chili, slit lengthwise
- a few curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon urad dal (white lentils)
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar, to balance the taste
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped coriander leaves
- 2 teaspoons cashew nuts and peanuts, roasted in ghee, for garnishing
- 2-3 tablespoons grated coconut
- 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
- 3 tablespoons oil + ghee mixture, I used 2 tablespoons oil and 1 tablespoon ghee
Instructions
- If using freshly made vangibath powder, make it at the beginning of the recipe. You can find the recipe online. Alternatively, you can use store-bought vangibath powder.
- Parboil the chopped vegetables (e.g., French beans, green peas, and carrots) with some water. Set aside.
- Soak the eggplant pieces in some water for 10 minutes to prevent them from turning brown. Drain and collect them in a bowl.
- Roast the cashew nuts and peanuts in a deep-bottomed pan with some ghee. Transfer them to a plate.
- In the same pan, add some oil and heat it. Add mustard seeds and allow them to crackle. Throw in the urad dal (white lentils) and curry leaves. Saute over medium heat until the lentils become golden brown.
- Add semolina and continue to saute until the semolina gets roasted a bit and produces a nice aroma (about 4 or 5 minutes). Transfer the mixture to a plate.
- Add the remaining oil to the same pan. Add the chopped onions and slit green chilies. Saute until the onion becomes pinkish. Add eggplant cubes. Continue to saute for 2 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, some salt, and turmeric powder. Mix well and saute until the eggplant and tomatoes are nearly cooked through (but not completely).
- Add the parboiled veggies and mix well. Add 8 cups of water. When the mixture begins to boil, add vangibath powder, remaining salt, and sugar.
- Let the mixture boil for 1 minute. Reduce the heat and add the roasted semolina little by little. Continue stirring until the semolina combines well in the pan.
- Simmer and cover the pan. Occasionally, stir the mixture to ensure no burning at the bottom. After about 4 minutes, you will observe that the semolina has cooked.
- Add the grated coconut, lemon juice, and chopped coriander leaves. Mix well and turn off the heat. If you desire, you can add 1 teaspoon of ghee. Undoubtedly, it enhances the aroma of this dish. However, it is optional to add ghee at this point.
- To serve, grease a round bowl with a bit of ghee and fill it with the vangibath. Top it with an inverted serving plate. Invert the bowl. You will get round-shaped vangibath on the plate.
- Serve hot garnished with roasted peanuts, cashew nuts, and chopped coriander leaves. Enjoy!
Photo Guide
Roasted ingredients added to a mixer jar for making vangibath powder.
Grind it to get a coarse powder. This powder is called vangibath powder. Alternatively, you can use store-bought vangibath powder.
Step one: Roast peanuts and cashew nuts in some ghee. Remove and set aside. You will use this mixture for garnish.
Step two: In the same pan, add some oil or oil and ghee mixture. Keep the heat at medium. Throw in mustard seeds and let them crackle. Add white lentils and curry leaves. Saute until the white lentils become golden brown.
Add semolina. Saute the mixture over low heat until you get a nice aroma from the semolina. This step may take 4 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a plate.
Step three: In the same deep-bottomed pan, add some oil. Add chopped onions and slit green chilies. Saute until the onions become pinkish.
Add eggplant cubes and a bit of salt. Increase the heat. Saute for 2 minutes.
Add chopped tomatoes and turmeric powder.
Continue to saute the mixture until the eggplant is nearly cooked through (but not completely).
Step four: Add the parboiled veggies. Mix it properly with the other ingredients in the pan. Continue to cook for a minute.
Step five: Add about 8 cups of water, vangibath powder, remaining salt, and sugar. Let the mixture come to a gentle boil. Add the roasted semolina little by little so that it won't form lumps. Stir it continuously until the semolina mixes well.
Reduce the heat to a minimum. Cover the pan and simmer it for 3-4 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the formation of lumps. By this time, the semolina cooks well.
Add coconut gratings and lemon juice. Mix well. Check for taste. At this point, you can add salt or vangibath powder, if needed. Also, you can add hot water to adjust the consistency.
Hot and yummy Rava Vangibath is ready to serve! Turn off the heat.
To serve, grease a round bowl. Add the vangibath to the brim. Place a serving plate on it. Invert the bowl and get the round-shaped vangibath on the plate. Garnish it with the roasted cashew nuts, peanuts, and coriander leaves. Enjoy the taste!
