You can use the rava either toasted or plain. To toast it, pour the rava into a skillet and cook it over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5 to 8 minutes, until it turns an ivory colour but doesn't get brown. Pour it into another bowl and set it aside.
In the skillet, melt the butter, ghee, or coconut oil. Add the mustard seeds and cook them over medium heat until they start to pop. Add the minced ginger, diced onion, chili flakes, and salt.
*If using any or all of the optional add-ins, put them into the skillet now, too. Or just make the upma with the mustard seeds, ginger, onion, and chilis.
Cook and stir the onions and any add-ins for 5 minutes, until translucent.
Add the rava (toasted or not), and stir until all the grains are coated with fat. This will help keep the rava from forming lumps. Pour in the water and stir. Lower the heat to medium-low. Cover, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring once. Fluff up the upma grains with a fork or spatula.
To serve, pack the upma into a tea cup or small bowl and invert onto the plate, or just spoon it onto plates. Serve each portion with a half of a banana, cut into slices. To eat, squish the banana slices into rough chunks with a fork and eat along with the upma. Or serve the upma with your favourite chutney.
Serves 3 to 4
Notes
Look for idli or rava flour in the import section of large supermarkets or in small import shops. Look for rice rava if you need to cook gluten-free. It looks like coarse flour or fine white cornmeal.