Air Fried Cheesy Semolina Pops

These vegetarian and rava pops are delicious made from Bombay rava upit, veggies and cheese and air fried.

Easy to make snacks that are ready in 40 minutes are great as kids evening snacks or even in their tiffin boxes. These air fried cheesy sooji pops are great party appetizers, potluck too. These will be a great initiative for my children to wake up for weekend breakfast! The only problem is you hardly make them and they disappear.

These savoury semolina bites are made with pantry ingredients. Add veggies like carrots, cabbage, peas, cauliflower, corn, or any other that you wish. I used my air fryer but you can deep fry them or use the appe pan. Next time I make them I am going to try baking them in the oven.

My girls did not know what went in these delicious cheesy pops and were not interested in knowing too. Apeksha, my elder daughter, was thrilled that she has these pops, tomato soup and apple pie for dinner! It has been ages since I have hoodwinked both of them so I am thrilled!!

Today is Monday, instead of Monday blues I look forward to it as it is Foodie Bloghop Monday day!

This week it was Aruna’s turn to suggest themes and the majority voted for Sooji, Rava, Semolina. Aruna blogs at Vasusvegkitchen. Aruna’s recipes are simple and delicious I have bookmarked some recipes like Udupi Saaru, Cold Coffee with Coffee Jelly to try sometime soon.

Coming to today's theme I was like OMG just what do I make? The usual suspects from edadda to rava idli are all done. Rava is something I use on an everyday basis. I happened to be talking to Swati who blogs at Foodtrails25 (check out Swati's site it is an amazing collection of beautiful pictures and recipes) then and she suggested I make Cheesy Semolina Bites. Since the girls called then pops I decided to stick to that name.

Cheesy sooji pops — Cheesy Semolina Pops

What is Semolina?

Semolina is a coarse pale-yellow flour made from durum wheat. Semolina is called rava in southern India and sooji in the north.

A bowl of Semolina — Rava/Sooji/Semolina

What can I make with semolina?

In most Indian home cooking, sooji/rava, as we call it, is everyday food. We have all grown up with rava upit,rava kheer, rava dosa, rava idli.

Then sooji is also added to flatbreads like poori or paratha, thalipeeth to make them crisp. Have you tried Rava thalipeeth, a Goan breakfast savoury flatbread that is served with green coconut chutney? It is definitely a loved breakfast food in my place.

It is only recently that I have learnt that semolina is used to make pasta, pizza, bread and biscuit doughs as well as gnocchi. What we refer to as rava kheer is the British milk pudding, called semolina. The semolina is cooked slowly in milk and sweetened with sugar.

What are the benefits of consuming semolina?

Semolina is rich in fibre, protein and vitamin B, a good source of iron and magnesium. Since it is rich in fibre and protein aids slow digestion and hence the feeling of fullness lasts longer. Rava is healthier than maida or all-purpose flour if you want to adopt a healthier lifestyle consider shifting to rava.

So if I start eating Semolina I will lose weight?

Unlike refined all-purpose flour, semolina is made by grinding the endosperm of the durum wheat and the carbs are higher. Semolina will help in losing weight as it leaves you feeling full for a longer time. If you make healthy snacks you can lose weight. but remember weight loss depends on a healthy diet and exercise!

However, check out some of the healthier food you can make with Sooji that I ma linking at the end of this post.

Now, these cheesy sooji pops are healthy but still use them as an occasional treat.

The ingredients for delicious Air Fried Cheesy Semolina Pops

Semolina: Rava or Sooji I used the fine one however, you can use the coarser thicker one too.
Onion: I used but using onions is optional.
Vegetables: I used grated carrots, cabbage, peas, and cauliflower. You can use any vegetable you have at hand like corn, broccoli, beans, capsicum.
Cheese: I used mozzarella, try using cheddar or any other that you prefer.
Potatoes: Boiled potatoes to give the binding.
Bread: I used crusts soaked in water and all the water squeezed out. This is again for binding and the crunch that it will give after frying.
Bread crumbs: I air-fried the crusts and crushed them. These I used for coating the pops.
Spices: I have used ginger, green chillies, chilli flakes(you may skip especially for small children), cumin powder, mustard seeds,hing/asafoetida, coriander leaves, pudina or mint leaves.
Salt: To taste
Oil: to fry the pops or balls.

So let us make Rava Pops

I made extra rava upit for breakfast, the exact recipe you can check here. In short, I roasted the rava this time in oil. Made a tempering of oil, mustard, hing and fry the onions, green chillies, and veggies. Added water, salt and to the boiling water added the roasted rava. Cooked.
To this cooked and cooled upma, I added boiled and grated potatoes, 1 chopped onion, mozzarella cheese, soaked bread crumbs, coriander and mint, jeera powder, chilli flakes and salt.
Knead to a soft dough, make small balls with the dough.
Then deep fry, air fry, bake or fry in the appe pan. Serve hot with tomato sauce or green chutney and ginger tea.

Recipe Card for Air Fried Cheesy Sooji Pops

Semolina and veggies in it deliciously blend with cheese, potato and bread. Air fry, deep fry or appe pan fry them. Serve them hot as a snack.

4.91 from 11 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizers-Starters, Snack

Cuisine: Fusion

Keyword: Kid Friendly Food, Rava Bhajiya, Sooji Pops, vegetarian Party Snack

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 15

Servings: balls

Calories:

Author: ArchanaPotdar

Equipment

Bowl for mixing
Air Fryer
Silicone Brush for brushing
Spoons and Ladles

Ingredients

1-½ cups upma/upit
1-½ cup boiled potato
1 cup cheese grated
1-½ cup bread
2 tablespoon coriander leaves chopped fine
1 teaspoon mint leaves chopped fine
1 onion chopped fine
1 teaspoon jeera/cumin seeds powder
2 teaspoon red chilli flakes optional
2-3 green chillies chopped fine, optional
1 tablespoon ginger grated
Salt to taste
Bread crumbs for coating
Oil for Frying or to Brush

Instructions

Make upit/upma in a pan and cool it completely. (Check notes for recipe).
To a big bowl add the upit, boiled potato, chees, bread dipped in water and all the water squeezed out.
Add the coriander leaves, mint leaves, onions, green chilli, chilli flakes (if using), cumin seeds powder, ginger.
Knead to a soft dough and make small lemon sized balls.
Roll them in dry bread crumbs.

To Air Fry/Bake in Oven

Preheat the Air fryer at 180C/350F for 5 minutes.
Brush the cheesy semolina pops with oil. Arrange them in the air fryer basket. Do not crowd the pops. Keep enough space between the pops.
Air fry for 10 minutes then open the drawer brush oil yet again and then return to the frier for 6 minutes.

If you do not have an air fryer the use the Appe pan.

Apply oil in the cavities on the pan and add the semolina balls in the cavities.
Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Turn them over and cook on the other side for another 2-3 minutes or till golden brown all over. Serve hot.

However, if you want to deep fry the pops

Heat oil in a kadhai/wok once the oil enough, slowly add the rava balls in the hot oil gently and carefully.
Deep fry on medium heat till deep golden brown.

Serving

Serve with tomato ketchup or green chutney and tea or coffee

Notes

You can make the upit/upma from here.
You can add garlic while making the semolina pops.
To make a no-onion, no-garlic version skip adding the onion and garlic. You can, however, add the ginger.
You can skip the cheese if you want a vegan version.

Tried this recipe?Mention @themadscientistskitchen or tag #themadscientistkitchen!

Cheesy Upit Bhajiya — Cheesy Rava Upit Pops

Healthy Variations with Semolina

Pin for Later

Comments

Your comments, feedback are something I look forward to. So do comment and share with family and friends. Cancel reply

Poonam Bachhav says

June 15, 2020 at 3:27 pm

Lovely makeover using upit di ! Can't wait to try out this tempting treat. Would make a perfect tea time snack!

- ArchanaPotdar says
  
  June 17, 2020 at 4:56 pm
  
  Thanks, Poonam.
  
Priya Vj says

June 16, 2020 at 10:40 pm

Aweosme makeover of Uppit with additional ingredients ..will try this for sure when I make upma next time 🙂

- ArchanaPotdar says
  
  June 18, 2020 at 5:24 pm
  
  Thanks.
  
Mayuri Patel says

June 16, 2020 at 11:17 pm

Friday nights is when hubby normally wants some snacks as we curl up with some wine and a good movie. I 'm tempted to prepare these cheesy semolina pops this week. A good way to use up leftover upma. Like that one can add any vegetables of their choice.

- ArchanaPotdar says
  
  June 17, 2020 at 4:54 pm
  
  😀 True Mayuri.
  
The Girl Next Door says

June 17, 2020 at 11:17 am

This is such a lovely idea to use leftover upma! I can imagine the makeover the Upma gets, with the potato and cheese added in. 🙂 Who wouldn't like to eat these beauties?

- ArchanaPotdar says
  
  June 17, 2020 at 4:53 pm
  
  Thaks, Priya.
  
Sujata Roy says

June 17, 2020 at 6:23 pm

Cheesey semolina pops looks super tempting Archana. Best part is one can also use leftover upma. Loved these crispy crunchy and delicious cheesy poops. Can't wait to try.

- ArchanaPotdar says
  
  June 18, 2020 at 5:23 pm
  
  Thanks, Sujata.
  
Preethicuisine says

June 19, 2020 at 6:37 pm

Rava upma cheese pops looks scrumptious. Great idea with left over upma.Lovely snacks!

- ArchanaPotdar says
  
  June 23, 2020 at 8:04 pm
  
  Thanks, Preethi.
  
Swati says

June 21, 2020 at 4:37 am

Thank you so much Archana for trying out the recipe and for the lovely words.. glad that that your girls loved these.. I like how you used the upma recipe to make these snack bites.. one of the best way to use leftover upma.

- ArchanaPotdar says
  
  June 23, 2020 at 8:03 pm
  
  Thanks, Swati. I could hoodwink the girls into eating Upma.
  
Vasusvegkitchen says

June 21, 2020 at 10:51 pm

Cheesy semolina pops looks very tempting di, i loved the way you used upma to prepare this. Firstly loved your write up as always di, this semolina pops is very interesting with lots twists in it di. Loved all the ingredients added in it, it's raining here, i am craving to have it some , yummy .

- ArchanaPotdar says
  
  June 23, 2020 at 8:02 pm
  
  Thanks, Aruna.
  
Renu says

June 22, 2020 at 1:33 am

This air fried cheesy pops looks like a perfect starter recipe or an evening tea time snack and I am sure my kids would love this.

- ArchanaPotdar says
  
  June 23, 2020 at 8:02 pm
  
  Thanks, Renu.
  
Sasmita says

June 22, 2020 at 3:12 pm

Cheesy Semolina pops looks so delicious. Air fry method seems quite a lovely idea 🙂
I will try sometime next

- ArchanaPotdar says
  
  June 23, 2020 at 8:01 pm
  
  Thanks, Sasmita.
  
NARMADHA says

June 24, 2020 at 11:17 pm

These looks so addictive and if it is made in air fryer i will finish the entire batch myself. Best way to use the leftover upma. so tempting and delicious

- ArchanaPotdar says
  
  June 26, 2020 at 11:53 am
  
  Thank you, Narmadha.
  
Neha says

March 09, 2023 at 12:08 am

These cheesy semolina pops look so adorable. The mint leaves and ginger have justified the flavors. Next time when I make upma, will try out this recipe. Good post.

- ArchanaPotdar says
  
  March 11, 2023 at 9:39 am
  
  😀 Thanks.