Tomato bath upma is a yummy twist on traditional south Indian rava upma, a simple, delicious, healthy, quick, and easy one-pot south Indian breakfast dish.
Our tomato rava bath recipe is very similar to regular south Indian-style rava upma, but with the addition of tomatoes, which impart a wonderful tangy and sour flavour, brightening up the dish not only in taste and flavour, but also in colour. Tomato upma’s vibrant colour and gently spiced, savoury, tangy taste will entice even those who are bored of regular upma.
Tomato rava upma is made with semolina (sooji, suji, rava), tomatoes, various vegetables, and a variety of spices and aromatics. Chana dal, urad dal, and cashew nuts add a crunchy texture to the otherwise soft tomato upma.
In Karnataka, Andhra, and other states in south India, tomato bath upma is a popular breakfast dish at festivals, weddings, and other auspicious occasions because it’s quick and easy to make, taking less than 30 minutes.
Follow our tried and tested tomato upma home cooking recipe and enjoy this delectable Andhra-style tomato rava upma for breakfast, lunch, or even dinner.
Two important factors determine the quality of tomato rava bath. The first is the ratio of semolina (sooji, suji, rava) to water and the second is the proper roasting of the semolina.
For best tomato upma results, make sure to roast the semolina (sooji, suji, rava) well on medium-low heat, but without browning it. High heat can burn the rava very quickly. The rava or suji grains should be dry, separate, crisp, and just starting to colour. The roasted semolina (sooji, suji, rava) will emit an enticing earthy aroma.
Stir continuously while adding semolina, and add it little by little, to prevent lumps.
The ration of water to semolina (sooji, suji, rava) is critical to achieve the right texture and consistency—soft and fluffy, not sticky and mushy—of the tomato bath upma.
For fluffy tomato upma with an soft consistency, use 2 to 2.5 cups of hot water per cup of semolina (sooji, suji, rava). If you like your tomato upma with a more porridge-like consistency, add 3 cups of water.
For a smooth and soft texture, use fine semolina, also known as Bombay rava, barik (fine) suji, and upma rava.
For the best flavour, use desi (pure) ghee only. It enhances the earthy flavour of roasted semolina and adds a wonderful richness to the dish. Do not cut down the quantity of ghee; this is essential for the right taste, texture, and aroma in this tomato bath upma recipe.
You can add vegetables of your choice like carrot, green beans, green peas, capsicum, sweet corn, potato, bean, broccoli, cauliflower, and zucchini. But remember that tougher vegetables take more time to cook.
Garnish tomato rava bath with fried or roasted cashew nuts, chopped coriander leaves, tomato slices, and lime slices.
Enjoy steaming hot tomato upma Andhra style for breakfast or as an evening snack. Like regular upma, tomato upma is best with a drizzle of desi (pure) ghee on top.
Tomato rava upma or tomato bath upma is yummy on its own, but it’s also wonderful with chutneys, pickles, and condiments. Rava upma tastes superb with a bit of lime juice and lime pickle.
Tomato rava upma is delicious with coconut chutney, the most popular accompaniment. It also goes very well with any chutney like onion chutney, green chutney, peanut chutney, tomato chutney, and gun powder. For a change from the standard accompaniments, try red coconut chutney or green coconut chutney.
Serve tomato upma alone or with some pickle, chutney, podi, or papad if having it for lunch. Pair tomato bath with sambar, onion–tomato chutney, curd or raita for a more substantial meal.
Wash it all down with hot filter coffee or masala chai for a delicious weekday breakfast.
Learn how to make homemade tomato bath with step by step photos and video with all ingredients and cooking method right here.