Dalia Upma With Veggies is an easy and delicious vegan dish that you can have for breakfast or as an evening snack. This upma made with broken wheat is light yet satisfying. The vegetarian breakfast dish is loaded with fresh and colourful ingredients with each spoonful delivering a burst of flavour.
Warm, wholesome, and wonderfully satisfying, Dalia Upma With Veggies – Cracked Wheat Vegetable Upma is a delicious Indian breakfast that brings together nutty cracked wheat, colourful vegetables, aromatic spices, and fresh herbs in every bite. This easy vegetable dalia recipe is perfect for busy mornings, light lunches, or a nourishing evening meal when you crave something comforting yet simple.
Made with broken wheat, carrots, green peas, beans, and classic South Indian seasonings, this savoury dalia upma is a delightful alternative to traditional semolina upma. The vegetables add colour, flavour, and texture, while the cracked wheat creates a pleasantly chewy, hearty dish.
Whether you’re searching for a healthy Indian breakfast, an easy vegetable upma recipe, or a fibre-rich cracked wheat dish, this recipe deserves a place in your weekly meal rotation. Customise it with your favourite seasonal vegetables, adjust the spices to your taste, and enjoy a comforting homemade breakfast that feels as good as it tastes.
What Is Dalia?
Dalia, also known as broken wheat or cracked wheat, is made by breaking whole wheat grains into smaller pieces. It is widely used in Indian cooking for both sweet and savoury dishes, including porridge, khichdi, pulao, and upma.
Unlike refined grains, whole-grain dalia retains the bran and germ, providing dietary fibre and other nutrients. Its mild, nutty flavour makes it an excellent base for absorbing spices, herbs, and vegetable flavours.
In this vegetable dalia upma recipe, cracked wheat is cooked with sautéed vegetables and aromatic tempering to create a satisfying dish that works beautifully for breakfast, brunch, or a light meal.
Health Benefits of Dalia
Dalia is a versatile whole-wheat ingredient that can contribute to a balanced diet.
- 🌾 Provides dietary fibre: Whole-grain dalia contains fibre that supports normal digestion and helps maintain bowel regularity.
- 💪 Supplies plant-based protein: Wheat provides protein that contributes to normal growth and tissue maintenance.
- ⚡ Provides energy: Dalia contains carbohydrates that supply energy for everyday activities.
- ❤️ Supports a balanced diet: Whole grains can form part of an eating pattern that supports overall cardiovascular health.
- 🥕 Adds vegetable goodness: Carrots, peas, and green beans contribute vitamins, minerals, fibre, and a variety of plant nutrients.
- 🍽️ Helps create a satisfying meal: The combination of whole grains and vegetables can make breakfast more filling than a meal based mainly on refined carbohydrates.
Dalia Upma with Veggies Recipe:
Dalia Upma With Veggies – Cracked Wheat Vegetable Upma is a wholesome, flavourful, and easy-to-make Indian breakfast that brings together nutty cracked wheat, colourful vegetables, and aromatic spices in every bite. Whether you’re looking for a simple vegetable dalia recipe for busy mornings or a satisfying alternative to traditional semolina upma, this delicious dish is a wonderful addition to your weekly menu.
Packed with the goodness of whole-grain cracked wheat and vegetables, this broken wheat upma offers dietary fibre, plant-based nutrients, and plenty of opportunities for customisation. Add your favourite seasonal vegetables, adjust the spices to your taste, and finish with fresh coriander and a squeeze of lemon for a refreshing burst of flavour.
Serve this healthy Indian breakfast with coconut chutney, plain yoghurt, or a fresh salad for a balanced and satisfying meal. If you love quick, comforting, and nutritious homemade dishes, this easy dalia upma recipe deserves a spot in your kitchen!
- For this nutritious breakfast upma recipe, take a cup of dalia.
- Dry roast it for about 5 minutes over medium heat till you get a nice aroma.
- Then transfer the roasted dalia into a pressure cooker.
- Add 1.5 cups water and a teaspoon of salt. Pressure cook on high for two whistles.
- Remove from heat and keep the cooked dalia aside.
- Meanwhile, peel and chop the onion, carrot and slit the chilli. Keep the green peas and sweet corn ready. Chop the coriander leaves. Keep aside.
- Heat oil in pan. Put in the cashews and fry them to a golden brown. Remove and keep aside.
- Next drop in the peanuts and fry them till they pop.
- Remove and keep along with cashews for later use.
- Now temper the oil with mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
- Once they splutter, add the chopped onion, green chilli and curry leaves.. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Then add the chopped carrot, green peas and sweet corn. Mix well and sauté for 2-3 minutes, till the rawness goes away.
- Next add the spices – salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder.
- Mix well so that the masalas are well combined.
- Now tip in the cooked dalia.
- Stir gently to combine.
- Drizzle fresh lemon juice and mix well.
- Stir in the roasted peanuts and cashewnuts.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and remove from heat.
- Transfer the broken wheat upma to a serving dish.
- Serve Dalia Upma With Veggies steaming hot with a chutney or curd as a side.
Explore more Upma Recipes for delicious breakfast ideas that are easy to prepare at home, like this easy Idli Upma
Serving Suggestions for Vegetable Dalia Upma
- 🥥 Coconut chutney: A classic South Indian accompaniment that adds a creamy, mildly sweet flavour.
- 🥣 Plain yoghurt: Serve with unsweetened yoghurt for a cool, tangy contrast.
- 🥒 Fresh cucumber salad: Add cucumber, tomato, lemon juice, and coriander for a refreshing side.
- 🍋 Lemon and coriander: Finish with a squeeze of lemon and fresh herbs to brighten the dish.
- 🥜 Roasted peanuts: Add a handful of roasted peanuts for a delightful crunch and nutty flavour.
- ☕ Breakfast platter: Pair with a cup of tea or coffee and a small serving of fruit for a satisfying morning meal.
Variations for Dalia Upma With Veggies
- Mixed Vegetable Dalia Upma: Toss in cauliflower, capsicum, sweet corn, or finely chopped spinach to enhance the dish with vibrant colours, fresh flavours, and added variety.
- Spicy South Indian dalia upma: Increase the green chilli, add curry leaves and roasted peanuts, and finish with lemon juice for a punchier flavour.
- Dalia moong dal upma: Add rinsed split yellow moong dal for extra plant-based protein. Increase the water and cooking time as needed for the legumes to soften.
- Tomato dalia upma: Add extra chopped tomatoes, a pinch of black pepper, and coriander for a tangy, savoury variation.
- Cashew dalia upma: Add a few roasted cashews for a richer texture and a delightful crunch.
Tips for Perfect Cracked Wheat Vegetable Upma
- ✅ Roast the dalia first: Light roasting enhances its nutty aroma and helps the grains remain distinct.
- ✅ Choose the right texture: Fine, medium, and coarse dalia absorb water differently, so adjust the liquid and cooking time accordingly.
- ✅ Cut vegetables evenly: Small, uniform pieces cook more consistently and blend well with the wheat.
- ✅ Use hot water: Adding hot water after sautéing helps the mixture return to a simmer quickly.
- ✅ Stir occasionally: Gentle stirring prevents sticking without turning the cooked dalia mushy.
- ✅ Add water gradually: If the dalia is still firm, pour in a little extra hot water at a time until the grains become tender.
- ✅ Season in layers: Ginger, green chilli, curry leaves, mustard seeds, and cumin build a fragrant flavour base.
- ✅ Don’t skip the lemon: A little acidity balances the nutty wheat and sweet vegetables.
- ✅ Let it rest: Leave the cooked upma covered for 3–5 minutes before fluffing and serving.
- ✅ Make it your own: Adjust the chilli, vegetables, and garnish to suit your family’s taste.
You Might Also Love
- 🥥 Rava Idli: Soft, fluffy South Indian steamed cakes that pair perfectly with coconut chutney and sambar.
- 🌿 Pesarattu: A savoury green gram dosa with a crisp exterior and deliciously spiced flavour.
- 🍜 Vegetable Semiya Upma: A comforting vermicelli breakfast tossed with colourful vegetables and aromatic seasonings.
Cracked Wheat Vegetable Upma details below:
Vegetable Dalia Upma
Ingredients
For the dalia:
- 1 cup dalia
- 1.5 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
For the upma:
- 1 small onion
- 1 green chilli
- 1/8 cup carrot
- 1/8 cup peas
- 1/8 cup sweet corn
- ½ tsp mustard
- ½ tsp jeera
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 tbsp peanuts
- 1 tbsp cashew nuts
- ¼ tsp tumeric powder
- ¼ tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tbsp coriander leaves
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 ½ tbsp. oil
Instructions
- For this dalia upma recipe, firstly dry roast the dalia for about 5 minutes till you get a nice aroma and it turns a light brown.
- Then transfer the roasted dalia into a pressure cooker. Add salt and water and cook on high for two whistles. Turn off the heat and set aside.
- In the meantime, chop the onion, carrot and coriander leaves. Slit the chilli and keep the green peas and sweet corn ready.
- Next heat oil in a kadai over medium heat.
- Add the cashew nuts and fry them to a golden brown. Remove and keep aside. Next put in the peanuts, fry till brown and remove.
- Add mustard seed and jeera to the same oil pan.
- Once they start to crackle, add the curry leaves, chopped onion and green chili. Sauté over medium heat till the onion turns a light brown.
- Now add the veggies – carrot, peas, corn and sauté for 2- 3 minutes on high.
- Next sprinkle salt, turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Mix well and cook for a 1-2 minutes for all the flavours to mix well.
- Then add the cooked broken wheat to the seasoned sautéed veggies. Combine well.
- Mix in the roasted peanuts and cashews.
- Drizzle lemon juice and gently mix.
- Garnish with freshly chopped coriander. Gently mix.
- Serve hot Dalia Upma with any chutney or raita.
🌾💛 A wholesome bowl of happiness! Loved this Dalia Upma With Veggies? Don’t forget to share, comment, and follow Seasonal Flavours for more delicious recipes that make every morning a little brighter! 🥕🌿
