Macro friendly Upma, spicy savory traditional Upma made with small tweaks to make it well balanced and macro friendly.
Upma, a savory porridge, is one of the highly consumed breakfast amongst Indians. The main ingredient of Upma is sooji. Sooji also known as Semolina, is a coarse flour made from durum wheat. It is yellowish in color and holds slightly nutty flavor. It is a staple in Italian and Middle Eastern cuisine for making pasta, couscous, and desserts like puddings while Indians use it for making savory and sweet dishes like Upma and halwa.
I love spicy savory Indian breakfast, however some of these dishes are not really balanced and lacks amount of protein, especially Upma. But that does not mean you deprive yourself from enjoying dishes you grew up eating and still crave often. Making just a few tweaks to traditional Upma recipe simply solves this issue. And those tweaks include using of tofu OR paneer and greek yogurt for protein along with bunch of veggies for fiber.
The below recipe if well balanced with carbs, protein, fats and fiber while still holds the OG flavors of Upma. I love me a good challenge in the kitchen and come up with recipes that are nutritious while still satisfies all my cravings and this recipe is definitely one of them! If you like savory breakfasts like me, check out my Peanuty Tofu (No Carb Poha). It is another one of those smart recipes that hits your macros and also hits the spot!
I suggest you give this a try and leave me a comment below with your feedback. Or simply tag me on instagram @myvegetarianroots to share your thoughts on my recipes. I would love to get your feedback!
Happy & Healthy Eating!
Macro Friendly Upma
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Avocado Oil
- ½ tsp Mustard Seeds
- â…› tsp Hing
- 5 Curry Leaves
- 1 tbsp Dry Urad Dal
- ½ cup Finely Chopped Onions
- 1 Thai Green Chili, finely chopped use 2 if you like extra spicy
- 1½ tsp Grated Ginger
- ½ cup Shredded Carrots
- ½ cup Frozen Peas
- 1 cup Shredded Extra Firm Tofu 1 serving of tofu as per box, can be sub with paneer
- ¼ cup Sooji 40 grams, can be sub with oat bran for higher protein and fiber
- â…“ cup Fat Free Plain Greek Yogurt
- 1 cup Water
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Red Chili Powder ¼ tsp for less spicy
- ¼ cup Finely Chopped Cilantro
Instructions
- Press tofu and remove as much moisture as possible. Shred it and keep lightly packed 1 cup (1 serving worth) of tofu aside.
- Mix â…“ cup (half serving) of fat free plain greek yogurt with 1 cup of water. Whisk well to make sure there are no yogurt lumps remaining. Keep it aside.
- Wash and soak 1 tbsp of urad dal in a water for 10 minutes. After 10 min, remove all the water and let the urad dal sit on paper towel to remove moisture.
- In a pan, heat 1-2 tbsp of oil, once hot add in ½ tsp of mustard seeds and wait till they pop. Then add in hing/asafetida and curry leaves.
- Add in soaked urad dal, cook on low/medium heat for 30-40 seconds or until urad dal turns slighly golden brown.
- Add in finely chopped onions, mix well and cook for 30-40 seconds on medium heat.
- Add in chopped thai green chili and grated ginger, mix well and cook for 20 seconds.
- Add in dry sooji (or oat bran), mix well and cook on medium heat for couple of minutes while stirring few times.
- Add in shredded tofu and cook for a minute on medium heat.
- Add in carrots, thawed frozen peas, salt and red chili powder. Mix well and cook on medium heat for a couple of minutes.
- Then bring the heat to low, add in yogurt and water mixture while stirring constantly. Bring the heat to medium and keep stirring until the liquid thicken half way through.
- Bring the heat to low, cover the pot and let it cook for 2-4 minutes. Stir once or twice during this step.
- The upma should be thicken by now, add in finely chopped cilantro, mix well and enjoy with cup of chai!
