Arisi Upma Recipe | Rice Upma Recipe
A TRADITIONAL BREAKFAST!

Arisi Upma, a very simple and traditional, breakfast or evening tiffin. Its a common breakfast in most of the Tamil Brahmin houses. Arisi Upma is made using Raw rice, toor dal, pepper along with tempering ingredients. The rice and dal are first pounded to rava like coarse powder along with peppercorns. This coarse Rice+dal powder is cooked in hot boiled water enhanced with tempering. We can also add veggies and make this upma even more healthier
Generally Arisi Upma is served with Coconut Chutney. But Personally I love serving with Vendhaya Kuzhambu or Vathakuzhambu or even with Milagu Kuzhambu. We can add Tamarind juice instead of plain hot water and make it like a Puli Upma. We can use either coconut oil or sesame oil for tempering that will enhance the flavor of this upma. Instead of only using Toor dal we can use 2 tablespoon Bengal Gram dal and 2 tablespoon Toor dal. We can make large quantity of the pounded coarse rice+dal can be stored in air-tight container and use it whenever we want.
Back in days, we use Bronze vessel (Vengala panai) to make this Arisi upma. We will be drooling to eat the slightly burnt layer on the bottom of the bronze pan. But nowadays we for the fast tract process of cooking this upma in the pressure cooker. Once cooked, we can make oval shaped kozhukattai and again steam cook the upma and serve as Upma Kozhukattai also.
If you like this Arisi Upma, then you can also try other Traditional Recipes
- Paruppu Podi – Paruppu Podi, a smooth dal powder made with toor dal, roasted gram and few other spices. Paruppu podi is a handy ready to eat, must have mix in our pantry.
- Kathirikkai Masiyal – Kathirikkai Masiyal (Brinjal Masiyal) is a tamarind based gravy made with brinjal and green chili. The masiyal is thin in consistency and usually served as a side dish for Ven Pongal, Idli / Dosa etc. It is one of the traditional accompaniment that we make often in our kitchen.
- Madapalli Puliyodharai – Madapalli Puliyodharai | Temple Style Tamarind Rice is a very appetizing and yummy Prasad served in most of the Vishnu temples and Hanuman temples.
Recipe Card to make Arisi Upma
Arisi Upma Recipe | Rice Upma Recipe | South Indian Breakfast
Equipments Needed
- Heavy Bottomed Pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup Raw Rice
- ¼ cup Toor Dal
- 2 tbsp Peppercorns
- 1 tsp Salt adjust to your taste
For Seasoning
- 2 tbsp Sesame oil
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1 sprig Curry Leaves
- 2 tsp Split Urad Dal
- 1 pinch Asafoetida (Asafetida / Hing)
- 4 broken Red Chili adjust to your spice level
- 1 tbsp Grated Coconut
Instructions
- Take raw rice, dal and peppercorns in a mixer jar and grind it to a coarse powder like Rava (Sooji). We can also wash the rice and spread in towel and once it is dry, we can grind the rice along with dal. This process ensures proper grinding to a coarse powder. Also we can store this coarse powder in a air-tight container and we can use it later also
- Heat Sesame oil or coconut oil in a pan. Add mustard Seeds and allow it to sputter. Then add the split urad dal, and saute till light brown. Then add curry leaves, hing, broken red chilies
- Take 1 cup of coarsely ground rice+dal mixture aside. In the pan add 2 cups of water along with salt, coconut and bring it to boil. When the water starts to boil, add the cup of coarsely ground rice+dal mixture little by little and keep stirring to avoid lumps
- Cover & cook the upma in low flame for about 10 mins. Mix the upma in frequent intervals to avoid the upma getting burnt of sticking to the bottom of the pan. After 10 mins, switch off the flame and let the upma sit in the covered pan for another 5 mins and then you can transfer the upma to the serving bowl
- Serve the delicious Arisi Upma (Rice Upma) with Coconut Chutney or Vathakuzhambu and enjoy the breakfast!
Video
Notes
- In kannada this upma is called AKKI THARI UPPITTU. Kannadigas usually add Seeme badanekayi (Chayote) or Cucumber cut into small pieces while tempering. ghee & jeera is also added
- In Andhra, its called Uppudu Pindi. Instead of toor dal, moong dal is added. Then at the end ghee is added before serving!
Nutritional Info
Method to make Arisi Upma with step by step Pictures
- Take raw rice, dal and peppercorns in a mixer jar
- Grind it to a coarse powder like Rava (Sooji). We can also wash the rice and spread in towel and once it is dry, we can grind the rice along with dal. This process ensures proper grinding to a coarse powder. Also we can store this coarse powder in a air-tight container and we can use it later also
- Heat Sesame oil or coconut oil in a pan. Add mustard Seeds and allow it to sputter. Then add the split urad dal, and saute till light brown. Then add curry leaves, hing, broken red chilies
- Take 1 cup of coarsely ground rice+dal mixture aside. In the pan add 2 cups of water along with salt, coconut and bring it to boil.
- When the water starts to boil, add the cup of coarsely ground rice+dal mixture little by little and keep stirring to avoid lumps
- Cover & cook the upma in low flame for about 10 mins. Mix the upma in frequent intervals to avoid the upma getting burnt of sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- After 10 mins, switch off the flame and let the upma sit in the covered pan for another 5 mins and then you can transfer the upma to the serving bowl
- Serve the delicious Arisi Upma (Rice Upma) with Coconut Chutney or Vathakuzhambu and enjoy the breakfast!
Excellent recipe. Worked perfectly for me. Thank you.
Thanks Rupa
When do add the coconut? It is not used in the recipe anywhere.
oh my bad I forgot to mention. We add grated coconut in the boiling water. I have corrected the recipe. Thanks for pointing.
Hi without washing we are using rice. Is it ok
we can rinse the rice thoroughly, spread it in a towel to dry and then grind it.
EVEN YOUNG UNMARRIED MEN CAN LEARN FROM THIS. INSTEAD OF GOING OUT FOR BREAKFAST AND SPEND HUGE MONEY BETTER THEY CAN PREPARE INSIDE THE PG ROOM. NICE AND SIMPLE EXPLANATION.
The upma looks so yummy and delicious!!
Thank you
This is so delicious! My first time making it. The instructions are easy to follow. I’m an American, missing the delicious foods of India. (I also made a simple, vegan coconut chutney to go with it.) Thank you so much.
So glad to hear from you Patricial. Happy to know your interest in Indian Recipes. Keep trying more recipes and share your valuable feedback. Thank you
is it OK to add some small onions during the first tempering?
Yes we can