Foxtail Millet Veggie Upma Recipe

Ingredients

• Foxtail millet – 1 cup
• Onion – 1 medium (finely chopped)
• Green chili – 1–2 (slit)
• Ginger – 1 tsp (grated)
• Carrot – 1 small (finely chopped)
• Beans – 6–8 (finely chopped)
• Green peas – ¼ cup
• Tomato – 1 small (optional, finely chopped)
• Curry leaves – 6–8
• Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
• Urad dal – 1 tsp
• Chana dal – 1 tsp
• Dry red chili – 1 (broken, optional)
• Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
• Salt – as needed
• Water – 2 ½ cups
• Oil or ghee – 2 tbsp
• Lemon juice – 1 tsp
• Fresh coriander leaves – 2 tbsp (chopped, for garnish) 

 

Method

1. Rinse & soak millet
o Wash foxtail millet well, soak for 10 minutes, and drain. (This helps in soft
cooking and removes excess starch.)
2. Prepare seasoning
o Heat oil/ghee in a pan. Add mustard seeds, let them splutter.
o Add urad dal, chana dal, dry red chili, and curry leaves. Fry until golden.
3. Sauté vegetables
o Add onions, green chili, and ginger. Sauté until onions turn light golden.
o Add chopped carrots, beans, peas (and tomato if using). Cook for 2–3 minutes.
4. Add spices & water
o Mix in turmeric powder and salt.
o Pour in 2 ½ cups of water. Let it come to a boil.
5. Cook millet
o Add drained foxtail millet. Stir well to avoid lumps.
o Cover and cook on a low flame for 10–12 minutes until millet turns soft and
fluffy. Stir occasionally.
6. Finish with lemon & garnish
o Turn off the heat, add lemon juice, and mix gently.
o Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

 

Serving Suggestions

• Serve hot with coconut chutney or pickle & curd.
• Can also be paired with a small bowl of sambar for a filling breakfast.
• For kids, drizzle a little ghee on top before serving.

Agrinests Tip for Customers

• You can replace foxtail millet with little millet or barnyard millet for variation.
• Add roasted cashews while garnishing for extra crunch.
• Make it spicier with black pepper powder instead of green chili for a winter-special
version.