Semiya upma is a popular South Indian breakfast made with wheat vermicelli, spices, herbs, and peanuts. Also known as vermicelli upma, it is a beginners recipe and just takes about 25 minutes. A basic semiya upma is made without any vegetables. But to make it a balanced meal, I sometimes add mix vegetables like carrot, peas and beans.
So what is semiya upma? Semiya=vermicelli & upma is a South Indian dish made with semolina and basic tempering ingredients. Semiya upma is just a variation of the basic rava upma. It is made almost the same way with the same set of ingredients.
Upma can be made with rava, vermicelli, poha, sabudana, oats or even with millets.
Making semiya upma is really quick and involves no prior preparation except for slicing the onion & ginger. You can make this with or without veggies as per your convenience.
To make the vegetable semiya, you can use frozen mix veggies like carrots, beans & peas.
This post shows you how to make perfect semiya upma that doesn’t turn sticky or mushy. You can eat this without any sides. But South Indians love this with peanut podi, Idli podi, pickle or curd.
Preparation for semiya upma
1. Skip this step if using roasted semiya. Dry roast 1 cup vermicelli on a medium flame stirring often until light & slightly golden. Transfer this to a plate.
2. Pour 1½ tablespoons oil to a hot pan. Add cashews or peanuts. Fry them until golden and crunchy. Remove and set aside for garnishing.
How to make semiya upma
3. To the same pan, add –
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon chana dal
- 1 teaspoon urad dal.
4. Fry until the dal turns lightly golden. Add –
- 1 pinch hing
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- ½ teaspoon chopped ginger(optional)
- 1 chopped green chili.
5. Add 1 small sliced onion and saute until transparent. Optional – You can also skip the vegetables. Add ¾ cup mixed vegetables – carrots, peas and french beans. Ensure the veggies are fine chopped otherwise they won’t cook fast. I sprinkle little salt so the veggies release moisture and cook easily.
6. Cover and cook on a low flame till they turn tender and almost cooked. If they don’t cook well, then sprinkle little water and cook.
7. Add salt and pour 1½ cups water. Stir and taste test the water. It has to be slightly salty. If using thin vermicelli 1 ¼ cup water would be sufficient.
8. Bring it to a rolling boil on a high flame.
9. Add the roasted vermicelli. Stir well to prevent lumps.
10. Cook on a medium high flame till all the water is absorbed. By then the semiya should be cooked well. (Troubleshooting tip: If the semiya does not cook well then boil little hot water and pour it here. Read tips below.)
11. Cover and cook on a low flame for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off and rest for 5 minutes.
When the temperature comes down a bit, sprinkle lemon juice and add coriander leaves. Mix and garnish with roasted peanuts or cashews. Serve it hot with peanut podi.
This is the semiya upma I made without veggies. It turns out good even without veggies.
Tips to make
1. There are 2 kinds of semiya in the market – roasted & unroasted. If using preroasted vermicelli, you don’t need to roast them again. Otherwise you have to roast them following my step 1 otherwise the dish will turn mushy and sticky.
2. The quantity of water to use differs for thick and thin variety vermicelli. I use the thicker bambino semiya which takes 1½ cups water for every cup of semiya. If using thin semiya then it would only need 1¼ cups.
3. Semiya upma is always made with wheat vermicelli and not with rice vermicelli. If using rice vermicelli, then boil them following the instructions on the pack. Drain them and then just do the tempering without adding water. Then just mix the precooked vermicelli there. Cover and cook for 1 to 2 mins.
More breakfast recipes
Soft Idli
Crispy Dosa
Masala dosa
Puffed Poori
You may also like these vermicelli recipes
Semiya payasam
Vermicelli pulao or biryani
Semiya kesari
Semiya upma recipe | vermicelli upma | vermicelli recipes
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
- 1 cup semiya (vermicelli)
- 1½ cups water for thick semiya (1 cup for thin variety)
- ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 small onion thinly sliced or chopped
- 1 green chili slit or chopped
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- ½ teaspoon ginger chopped finely (optional)
Tempering ingredients for semiya upma
- 1 ½ tablespoon oil or ghee
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon channa dal (split bengal gram) (optional)
- 1 teaspoon urad dal (skinned black gram) (optional)
- 2 to 3 tablespoon peanuts or cashews
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) (optional)
optional ingredients
- ¾ cup mix vegetables carrot, peas, beans – fine chopped
- 2 tablespoon coriander leaves chopped
- 2 tablespoon fresh grated coconut for garnish
Instructions
Preparation
- If using roasted vermicelli, then skip this step. Dry roast semiya uniformly on a medium flame until lightly golden. Keep stirring and fry without browning them. They will turn light when done. Transfer to a plate.
How to make semiya upma
- Heat oil in a pan. Add peanuts or cashews. Fry them until golden and crunchy. Remove to a plate.
- To the same pan add mustard, cumin, chana dal & urad dal . Fry until the dals turn golden and roasted well.
- Next add hing, onions, ginger, green chilli and curry leaves. Fry for about 2 to 3 minutes until the onions turn transparent.
- This step is optional. If using carrot, beans and peas add them now and saute for another 3 mins. Cook covered on a low flame till they turn slightly tender.
- Pour water and add salt. Stir and check by tasting the water. It has to be slightly salty. If needed add more salt.
- Bring it to a rapid boil. Transfer roasted semiya to the pan & stir immediately.
- Cook on a medium flame till all the water is absorbed by the vermicelli. (If you feel the semiya is uncooked then pour little boiling water.)
- Cover the pan and cook on a lowest heat 2 minutes. Turn off and rest for another 5 minutes.
- When the temperature cools down a bit sprinkle some lemon juice & coriander leaves.
- Garnish semiya upma with grated coconut (optional), roasted peanuts or cashews. Serve with peanut podi or pickle.
Notes
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Rupal says
Recipe with tips is so useful. Perfect measurements for different type of vermicelli. My kids and mother in law absolutely love this dish. Must try for everyone. Combination of veggies makes it yummier and healthier! Thank you 🙏
swasthi says
Welcome Rupal
Glad to know! Thank you!
Rajshree says
Hi,
Water you have mentioned for thick sevai is too much.. Mine came out sticky.
Regards,
Rajshree
Winnie says
Tried the vegetable semiya upma today. Turned out just perfect. The details of water ratio provided for different types of vermicelli was informative.
Shanthi Sankaran says
Very very tasty semiya upma. Thank you Swasti very much. For two and quarter glass of semiya I used two and half glass water. It was proper. Will your other recipes too.
swasthi says
Hi Shanthi Sankaran
You are welcome!
Glad to know
S says
You put a good amount of effort and research in your recipes. I liked the little details like different water ratios fir different vermicellis, different cooking techniques and also a separate step by step photo. Most bloggers/authors don’t do that.
Kudos!
swasthi says
Thank you so much!
Adhidev says
Amazing recipe for beginners
swasthi says
Thank you
Gwen Stephen says
Dear Swasthi, your recipes are all mind blowing!! Simple and easy to follow… a real treat for a cooking novice like me!! Thank you and God Bless
swasthi says
Hi Gwen Stephen,
You are welcome! Thank you so much for the wishes. Glad the recipes are helpful.
🙂
Kali says
Awesome…
swasthi says
Thank you!
Raju says
First time tried to cook for myself. This semiya turned out fantastic.
swasthi says
Glad you liked it!
Deepa says
I always refer your recipe to check the water to vermicelli ratio every time I make vermicelli upma. It comes out great every single time. The vermicelli is never sticking to each other, neither is it overcooked nor undercooked. If you would like to see, I will share a pic if you provide your email id. 😃
swasthi says
Thank you so much Deepa.
Yes water ratio is very important. Glad to know the recipe is useful. Would love to see the pictures. Do mail me.
Roghith says
Hi mam i don’t like semiya very much bt my sister cook semiya by followed by your recipe now i am loved eat semiya thanks for you and i love you and your recipe byeee
swasthi says
Hi Roghith
You are welcome. Thank you so much for the comment. Very glad to know the recipe is useful
🙂
Moitrayee says
Loved all your recipes, very well explained and curated. Will follow henceforth.
swasthi says
Thanks Moitrayee
neha says
Thank you Swasthi. This recipe is so yum. My kid loved it.
Bhavani.B says
I loved it
swasthi says
Thanks Bhavani
koushi says
The recipes are best explained with photographs. Thanks for it
swasthi says
Welcome and thanks
Raj says
Thanks for the receipies!! They are really discriptive and easy to follow.. keep posting!!!
swasthi says
Welcome Raj
Thanks for the feedback
Krithika says
I tried this just now and it came out sooooooooooooooooo good! Thanks a lot. 🙂 I’ve just got into cooking south Indian food and this is my first south Indian dish. Thanks for the quick and superb recipe.
swasthi says
Welcome Krithika
Glad to know it came out good. Keep trying
🙂
Ana says
VERY…
Shivani says
Hi Swati, wonderful recipe. Tried for the first time, it was yum. One question here, what can be done to reduce the salty taste. Otherwise it is so simple to follow. I have tried before but this time it was cooked perfect. Thank you
swasthi says
Hi shivani,
To fix a salty semiya upma, you can add few tbsps of grated fresh coconut or little ghee or lemon juice. Or just cook plain semiya and mix with this. My mum makes a plain seasoned chilli yogurt as a side to fix salty semiya. An uncommon combo, but goes well. Thanks for rating the recipe
Ana says
EASY COOKING NICE
swasthi says
thank you
neela manogar says
That’s very tasty breakfast.
kushi says
Its my fav 🙂 Looks delicious