Quick and easy idli upma with leftover idlis! (You can prepare it with fresh idlis too) Pair it with coffee or tea and enjoy it for your breakfast or evening tiffin.
As much as I love idli with chutney or sambar, I love preparing different dishes with idli. We love our idli biryani, idli Manchurian and fried idli too. Now it’s time for the idli upma.
Idli upma is nothing but crumbled idli stir-fry with Indian-style tempering. All you need to do is crumble some idlis. Then, temper some mustard seeds, urad dal, and chana dal in coconut oil. Then saute some green chilies and onions and add in the crumbled idli and cook for a couple of minutes and that’s it. The idli upma is ready. Very simple right?
The mere mention of these two words, “idli upma,” brings back the good memories of my under grad hostel life. Idli with chutney and sambar is the default breakfast menu on all Fridays in our hostel. And the evening tiffin would be idli upma with those leftover idlis.
I was not a big fan of idli upma then. But these days, it has become my favorite, and can you guess what the game changer was? It’s coconut oil. Yes, I prepare the tempering with coconut oil, and it adds incredible flavor.
Ingredients and Variations
Ok, let me explain the variations and customizations as I explain the ingredients.
Idli – Of course, the main ingredient. I have tried making idli upma with regular rice idli and millet idli. You can use any kind but make sure to let the idlis cool down before you crumble them. Let’s not forget, leftover idlis refrigerated overnight works well too. Keep it out for 30 to 40 minutes before crumbling the idlis.
Oil + tempering – I highly recommend coconut oil for this upma as it just intensifies the flavor amazingly. But you can use any other oil of your choice. I have used 2 tbsp of oil here, which is slightly on the higher side, but idli absorbs oil, and I roast the crumbled idlis as well, so we need this high measure. I always use mustard seeds, urad dal, and chana dal for tempering. You can skip chana dal and urad dal and use cumin seeds too.
Curry leaves and Cilantro– Both are flavor enhancers. If you can’t source curry leaves, then skip them. I add curry leaves during tempering and cilantro toward the end.
Green chilies – As I have mentioned in the semiya upma post, green chilies work best for upma. I have added three green chilies but adjust according to the taste and variety.
Onion – It’s again a flavor enhancer, but you can very well cook this upma without onion as well. I didn’t add any garlic; you can add one or two cloves of garlic too.
Salt and turmeric powder- Add salt to taste, and I add turmeric powder in all possible dishes. It’s optional, but we love that nice yellow color upma.
Optional Ingredients: I kept this upma nut-free. You can add peanuts or cashews too. For a veggie-loaded upma, you can add grated carrots, cabbage, and peas. Make sure you cook the veggies thoroughly before adding the idli. And along with green chilies, you can add a tsp of finely chopped ginger.
Dietary Specification & Serving Suggestions
This idli upma is a vegan and nut-free dish. For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free asafoetida or skip it.
You can serve this upma as is or with chutney, ketchup, or sugar. Pair it with coffee or tea for a filling breakfast or evening tiffin.
Now without any further ado, here is the idli upma recipe with step-wise pictures.
How to make idli upma
- Heat a pan and add the coconut oil. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, and hing. When the mustard seeds splutter, add green chilies, curry leaves, and onion.
- Cook until the onions are soft and translucent. Now add the turmeric powder and salt. Mix well and cook for a minute.
- Next, add the crumbled idli pieces.
- Mix them thoroughly and in medium-low flame, let it cook for 5-7 minutes till it forms the light brown crust. (This is optional) You can cook for 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat and turn off the heat as well.
Recipe Notes
- Adjust the salt and green chilies to taste.
- Along with green chilies, you can add up to 1 tsp of chopped ginger and two garlic cloves, chopped as well.
- You can use grated carrots, cabbage, and peas (or veggies of your choice) to make a veggie-loaded upma. Make sure you cook the veggies thoroughly before adding the idli.
- I have used my cast-iron pan for making this idli upma. If you have a cast-iron pan, I would recommend that for making this upma. After adding the crumbled idlis, I mix and cook the idlis over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes till it forms the light brown crust.
- Make sure your idlis are cool and dry. I don’t crumble the idli like cornmeal. I crumble them roughly.
Love upma? Explore other upma recipes!
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📖 Recipe
Idli Upma Recipe
Ingredients
Measurement Details: 1 cup = 240ml; 1 tbsp = 15ml; 1 tsp = 5ml;
- 6 idli crumbled roughly
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp urad dal
- 1 tsp chana dal
- 5 curry leaves
- ¼ tsp asafoetida
- 3 green chilies chopped, or to taste
- 1 small onion chopped (approx 100 grams)
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1.5 tsp salt or to taste
- 3 to 4 tbsp cilantro finely chopped
Instructions
- Heat a pan and add the coconut oil. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, and hing. When the mustard seeds splutter, add green chilies, curry leaves, and onion.
- Cook until the onions are soft and translucent. Now add the turmeric powder and salt. Mix well and cook for a minute.
- Next, add the crumbled idli pieces.
- Mix them thoroughly and in medium-low flame, let it cook for 5-7 minutes till it forms the light brown crust. (This is optional) You can cook for 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat and turn off the heat as well.
Notes
- Adjust the salt and green chilies to taste.
- Along with green chilies, you can add up to 1 tsp of chopped ginger and two garlic cloves, chopped as well.
- You can use grated carrots, cabbage, and peas (or veggies of your choice) to make a veggie-loaded upma. Make sure you cook the veggies thoroughly before adding the idli.
- I have used my cast-iron pan for making this idli upma. If you have a cast-iron pan, I would recommend that for making this upma. After adding the crumbled idlis, I mix and cook the idlis over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes till it forms the light brown crust.
- Make sure your idlis are cool and dry. I don’t crumble the idli like cornmeal. I crumble them roughly.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.
Update Notes: Earlier posted in 2016, now updated with new pictures, recipe card with nutrition information, and ingredient details and tips.
I make extra idlis just to make this dish!
me too. same pinch..
idli upma ungalukku snack-a? I will just make it for dinner and close the kadai :)
He he let’s blame my hostel mess. I do it for dinner too but will end with curd rice n close d kadai.
comfort food it is for me :)
yup :-)
Love idli upma. Made some this morning :) simple and yet so fulfilling it is
Oh yeah absolutely
Suryavamsam movie, it’s the one where the wife becomes IAS officer right ?? :)
Oh yeah exactly.. in tamil Sarath Kumar n devaiyani did the roles..
In Telugu, Venkatesh and Meena did the roles :)