Bangalore Winter Breakfast There are some mornings in Bangalore when the chill just settles into your bones and all you want is something piping hot, spiced just right, and deeply comforting. This Aurekal Upma is exactly that. Aurekal — also called avarekalu or hyacinth beans — is a seasonal ingredient that Bangalore waits for every winter. It has a slightly nutty flavour and a dense, satisfying texture that pairs beautifully with roasted Bombay rava. When these two come together with a proper tempering of curry leaves, ginger, green chillies and hing, the result is a breakfast bowl that is warming, tangy and completely irresistible.
Why This Recipe Works
The secret here is dry roasting the rava before anything else. This removes any raw smell and gives the upma a slightly nutty, toasted flavour that makes all the difference. The aurekal is pressure cooked separately so it is perfectly tender, and the water from that cooking goes straight into the upma — which means none of that lovely flavour is wasted. A spoonful of ghee at the end and a squeeze of lemon right before serving brings everything together beautifully.
What Makes It Healthy
Aurekal is rich in plant-based protein and dietary fibre, making it far more nourishing than a plain rava upma. The tempering with urad dal and bengal gram adds more protein and a lovely crunch. Ghee in small quantities aids digestion and adds good fat. The ginger and green chillies are warming from the inside out — perfect for cold weather.
How I Served It
I had this as a warming breakfast on a cold Bangalore morning and it genuinely felt like a hug in a bowl. Serve it hot, straight off the pan. A small cup of strong filter coffee alongside is truly the perfect pairing. If you cannot find aurekal where you live, fresh green peas work beautifully as a substitute.
A Note on the Key Ingredients
Aurekal has a short season in Bangalore, typically peaking between December and February. When it is in season, you will find it at every sabzi vendor and it is worth making the most of it. If you are using dried or frozen hyacinth beans, soak them longer and adjust the pressure cooking time. Do not skip the hing — it is what gives the upma that unmistakable Karnataka-style flavour. This is the kind of breakfast that makes you look forward to cold mornings. Give it a go and tell me in the comments — what is your favourite Bangalore winter breakfast?
Aurekal Upma
Ingredients
For the Aurekal
- 1/2 cup shelled aurekal hyacinth beans
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon oil
For the Upma
- 1 cup Bombay rava semolina, dry roasted
- 5 tablespoons oil
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- 4 sprigs curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon jeera
- 2 teaspoons hing
- 1 tablespoon kadle bele Bengal gram
- 1 tablespoon udina bele urad dal
- 2 inches ginger finely diced
- 2 green chillies finely cut
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1.5 cups additional water
- 1 tablespoon salt
- Handful fresh coriander
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Pressure cook the shelled aurekal with 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon oil for 1 whistle on high, then simmer for 5 minutes.
- Dry roast the Bombay rava in a pan on low heat until the raw smell disappears. Keep aside.
- Finely cut the green chillies and ginger.
- In a kadai, heat 5 tablespoons oil. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
- Add curry leaves, jeera, hing, kadle bele and udina bele. Fry until the dals turn golden.
- Add diced ginger and green chillies. Sauté for a minute.
- Add turmeric and the cooked aurekal along with its cooking water.
- Add 1.5 cups more water and bring to a rolling boil. Add fresh coriander and salt.
- Slowly add the roasted rava while stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
- Cover and simmer on low heat for 3–4 minutes.
- Add ghee on top and mix well. Finish with fresh lemon juice.
- Serve piping hot.
