Rajgira Upma Recipe (Farali Upma for Vrat)

Rajgira upma is a soft, savory vrat dish made with amaranth flour and cooked with just water, ghee, and a simple tadka. This dish is ready in just 20 minutes, and it’s one of the most satisfying, instant meals you can eat during long fasting days.

This dish offers the same comforting feel as regular semolina upma, but it's lighter, easier to digest, and naturally gluten-free. During Navratri, Shravan, or any other fasting day when you want something easy, comforting, and filling, rajgira upma is one of the best options. It's quick, simple, and so good to eat at any time of day.

Why You Will Love This Rajgira Upma Recipe

• This recipe gives you soft, filling, and a proper meal that keeps you full and satisfied on a vrat day.

• It’ll be ready in 20 minutes with very minimal prep and no effort.

• Rajgira is naturally gluten-free, vrat-friendly, and easy to digest.

• This dish works well as breakfast, lunch, or a light dinner.

• So simple that anyone, including a beginner, can make it easily.

Ingredients for Rajgira Upma Recipe 

This rajgira upma recipe serves 2 people.

For the upma:

• 1 cup rajgira(amaranth) flour 

• Water 

• Sendha namak (rock salt), to taste

• 1 tbsp ghee

For the tempering:

• 1 tbsp ghee or oil

• 0.5 tsp cumin seeds

• 0.5 tsp freshly grated ginger (or a pinch of dry ginger powder)

• A few chopped or whole curry leaves 

• 0.25 tsp black pepper powder 

Optional vegetables (vrat-friendly):

• 1 small potato, boiled and cubed

• 1/4 cup sweet corn kernels

• A few pieces of raw banana (kaccha kela), cubed and sautéed

• 1 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves, for garnish

• A squeeze of lemon juice, for serving

Step-By-Step Rajgira Upma Recipe

Step 1: Dry roast the smooth rajgira flour

Take a pan and heat it over a medium-low flame. Then add the smooth, high-quality rajgira flour and dry-roast it for 2-3 minutes. Keep stirring the flour continuously, and roast until it smells nutty and warm. 

Keep scraping the bottom and sides of the pan while you stir, so no flour sticks to it. Transfer the roasted flour to a bowl and keep aside.

Pro Tip: This step helps prevent a raw, starchy taste in the final dish. Don't skip this step, and don't roast the flour at high flame.

Step 2: Prepare the tadka

Add 1 tbsp ghee to the same pan and heat it over medium flame. Then add the whole cumin seeds and let them crackle for about 20-30 seconds. Then add the freshly grated ginger along with some chopped green chilies and curry leaves. Stir everything for 30 seconds until aromatic.

Then you can add any chopped vegetables you like. You can use potatoes, tomatoes, onions, capsicum, carrots, and corn. Toss everything for a minute.

Step 3: Add water and bring to a boil

Pour 1.5 cups of water along with sendha namak(rock salt) over the vegetables. Stir everything well and bring to a boil on medium heat. Taste the water; it should taste a little well-seasoned because the flour will absorb most of the salt. You can add a little more salt than you prefer.

Step 4: Add the dry roasted rajgira flour

Lower the heat to the minimum setting. Add the dry-roasted flour to the boiling water, and keep stirring it continuously with your other hand as you pour the flour. Don't stop stirring for even a second. The flour thickens very quickly, and if you stop stirring, it will create lumps that are very difficult to break once they set.

Important: You need to act quickly. Make sure your flour is measured and ready in a pouring vessel before adding the water, so you can pour with one hand and quickly stir with the other.

Step 5: Cook and stir until set

Keep stirring the mixture over a low flame for about 1-2 minutes, until it thickens and turns to a soft, smooth, even texture, similar to authentic rava upma. Add the black pepper powder and give it a light stir. If the dish looks very thick and dry, you can add a splash of hot water and stir directly. If it looks very thin or loose, cook it for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, until it thickens.

Step 6: Garnish and serve

Add a spoonful of ghee or a cube of butter at the end, then mix properly to give your final dish a rich, glossy touch. At last, add some lemon juice. Garnish it with freshly chopped coriander leaves. Serve it immediately while it's hot, soft, and smooth.

Important: The texture of rajgira upma hardens quickly as it cools. Always serve and eat this dish immediately for the softest texture. 

Rajgira Upma Recipe Variations

Rajgira Upma with Peanuts

Add 2 tbsp of dry-roasted, coarsely crushed peanuts to the tadka as you add the chopped vegetables. The peanuts give a nutty crunch to the dish and balance the soft texture of upma.

Rajgira Upma with Coconut

You can add 2 tbsp of freshly grated or dried coconut in the last step along with the butter or ghee. The coconut adds a mild, sweet creaminess to your dish, making the upma richer.

Spicier Variant

If you prefer extra-spicy food, you can increase the amount of chopped green chilies or add dried red chilies to the tadka. The dried red chilies bloom in the ghee. This gives the final dish a deeper, more layered heat.

Expert Tips

• Always dry roast the flour first. If you skip this step, you’ll get the raw upma with a starchy taste, and you won’t be able to fix it.
• Pour the flour in a steady stream while stirring. This technique prevents lumps from forming.
• Add 1.5 cups of water at first. The water absorption capacity of each brand of rajgira flour varies slightly. So start with 1.5 cups, and adjust accordingly.
• Use ghee generously. Ghee gives the upma its right richness and flavor. It also prevents the upma from becoming too hard or sticky.

Some Suggestions to Serve Rajgira Upma

This is one of the most popular standalone fasting meals, but you can pair it with side dishes for a twist.

• Fresh, plain curd (dahi): This is the most classic and widely used combination. Cold curd balances out the warm, flavored upma perfectly.
• Vrat kadhi: This is a perfect accompaniment to a little sticky upma. It’s a light, thin, yogurt-based dal.
• A bowl of fresh vegetable salad with a slice of lemon: The fresh, cold vegetable salad balances out the spices of upma and adds crunch.
• A comforting cup of masala chai: This is the best fasting breakfast combination.

Storage Instructions

Storing this dish isn’t recommended. Rajgira upma is not an item that stores or reheats properly. It hardens up quickly as it cools and also loses its soft texture.

If you have to store it anyway, transfer it to an airtight container and store it at room temperature for a few hours. To reheat, add a splash of water over it, cover the pan, and warm on very low heat. You won't get the same texture as the fresh version, but it'll still be edible.

FAQs: Rajgira Upma Recipe

Why does my rajgira upma is lumpy instead of smooth? 

Most of the time leumps form when you add the flour too quickly or when you stop stirring the mixture even for a minute while adding. Pour the flour in a slow, steady stream with one hand and stir the mixture continuously with the other.

Can I make rajgira upma without dry roasting the flour? 

You can, but you’ll get noticeably raw and slightly starchy taste. The dry roasting only takes 2-3 minutes and it gives the upma its nutty flavour. A small step can makes a real difference.

How much water should I use for rajgira upma? 

Only add about 1.5 cups of water per cup of roasted rajgira flour at the start for a soft, smooth texture. The absorption strength of rajgira flour varies by brand. So you can adjust the water later to match your preferred consistency.

If it feels very thick, add a splash of hot water. If it’s very loose and runny, cook it for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Can I use rajgira seeds instead of rajgira flour? 

No, rajgira seeds (popped rajgira) and rajgira flour behave entirely differently after cokking. Popped seeds are perfect for crunchy ladoo and chiki. Flour is used where you need more smooth, fine texture, like upma, halwa, and paratha. 

Is rajgira upma suitable for diabetes? 

Rajgira has a lower glycaemic index than other grains and it’s also rich in protein and fiber, that helps with digestion and also stabilize blood sugar. However, it's always best to advice a doctor before adding this flour to your regular diet.

Can I make rajgira upma without ghee? 

Yes. You can use coconut oil instead. You’ll get a little lighter flavour without the richness of ghee, but your upma will still taste amazing.