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Vegetable Thinnai Upma with carrots and green peas served with chutney

Thinai Upma (Foxtail Millet Upma)

Easy Thinai Upma made with foxtail millet, vegetables and simple tempering. Soaked and dry-roasted Thinai is pressure cooked with just 1 cup of water for a fluffy, uthiri uthiri texture.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Breakfast, dinner
Cuisine: south indian
Calories: 250
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup 200 g Thinai / Foxtail Millet
  • Water as needed for soaking
  • 1 cup water for pressure cooking
  • Salt to taste
Tempering & Vegetables
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • ½ tbsp urad dal
  • ½ tbsp chana dal
  • 1 medium onion sliced
  • 2 small green chillies chopped
  • Small piece ginger grated
  • ½ cup carrot chopped
  • ½ cup fresh green peas
  • Coriander leaves for garnish

Method
 

  1. Wash and soak: Wash Thinai well and soak it in water for 10 minutes. Drain the water completely.
  2. Dry-roast: Add the drained Thinai to a pan and dry-roast on medium flame until the excess moisture is completely gone. Do not brown or burn it. Set aside.
  3. Prepare the tempering: Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add urad dal and chana dal and sauté until lightly golden.
  4. Add aromatics: Add sliced onion, green chilli and grated ginger. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent.
  5. Add vegetables: Add carrot and fresh peas. Mix well and sauté briefly.
  6. Add water: Pour in 1 cup water for 1 cup soaked Thinai and add salt. Bring the water to a boil.
  7. Add Thinai: Add the roasted Thinai and mix well.
  8. Pressure cook: Close the cooker and cook for 1 whistle on medium flame. Allow the pressure to release naturally.
  9. Fluff and serve: Open the cooker and gently fluff the Thinai Upma. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with coriander chutney.

Notes

Dry-roasting after soaking is optional, but I prefer this method for a more fluffy, separate, uthiri uthiri texture.
Avoid adding extra water, as the soaked millet can become mushy in the pressure cooker.
Don't roast the Thinai until brown, just only to remove the moisture.