Dalia Upma Recipe

Dalia Upma is a savory broken wheat upma loaded with fresh vegetables. It is a traditional Indian breakfast recipe made of broken wheat (dalia), cooked in a pressure cooker along with a choice of seasonal vegetables. Dalia Upma is a quick and effortless dish high on protein and vegan.

This wholesome upma often finds its way to my breakfast table. And when it does, I love saving up the last few spoonfuls for my evening snack with a cup of filter coffee. 

It also doubles up as the perfect lunchbox meal alongside some fruit and buttermilk (chaas). (Also read: Lunchbox Ideas For Office)

The whole grains and the vegetables together make namkeen dalia a wholesome one-pot meal. 

About Dalia (Broken Wheat): 

As opposed to atta (wheat flour) and maida (refined wheat flour), Dalia is whole wheat grains that are pounded or broken down. They include the husk, which is a viable source of both nutrition and fiber.

Is Dalia good for health?

The fact that Dalia is as close to the natural form of the grain as possible makes it a much healthier option than other types of wheat by-products.

Dalia is, however, not gluten-free. Many nutritionists recommend incorporating dalia into daily meals as replacements for rice or roti because:

How To Cook Dalia (Broken Wheat)?

Dalia doesn’t need to be washed or run under water before use but can be directly added to the pan. The possibilities when cooking dalia are endless. One can prepare khichdi, sweet porridge, kheer, vegetable khichdi, or pulao using the broken wheat.

At times, I simply, pressure cook broken wheat with salt to taste and eat it with dal and sabzi instead of rice for lunch.

Because of its high fiber content, a way less quantity of dalia is required to keep me full throughout the day, as compared to rice. 

Tips To Make Perfectly Fluffy Dalia Upma:

Use pre-roasted dalia for this upma recipe or dry roast the broken wheat before using it (similar to roasting sooji rava before using).

When made in a pressure cooker, I keep the broken wheat and water ration as 1:1.5 to get the perfect consistency of upma – every single time! If you are using 1 Cup of broken wheat, add water approximately 1.5 cups. 

One or two whistles over medium heat are sufficient enough to cook the vegetables and the broken wheat. 

Allow the steam to release naturally from the pressure cooker. Once you open the lid, gently fluff the upma using a fork and allow it to rest for 3 – 5 minutes before serving. 

Add a dash of lemon juice or a teaspoon of ghee before serving the dish for a delicious flavor.

Step-By-Step Dalia Upma Recipe:

Dry roast the broken wheat over low heat for 3 – 5 minutes or until aromatic and light brown in color. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Heat oil in a pressure cooker over medium flame. Once the oil is hot enough add mustard seeds, jeera, cashews, and peanuts. Fry for 10 – 20 seconds. Next, add chopped onion and fry till onion turn translucent and light brown.

Now add the chopped vegetables, salt, and spices. Fry for 2 – 3 minutes. Add the roasted broken wheat, stir to combine, and add 1.5 cups of water. Seal the lid of the pressure cooker.

Cook upma over low heat for 2 whistles. Let the steam release naturally from the pressure cooker. Garnish with coriander and lemon juice, mix and serve warm.

Watch Dalia Upma Recipe Video:

Indian Breakfast Recipes You Might Like:

Matar Poha (Chura Matar)

Vermicelli (Semiya) Upma

Moong Dal Cheela 

Matar (Peas) Ka Paratha 

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