HuLi (tangy/sour) avalakki is a tangy and spicy poha dish. It is made by adding powdered poha/avalakki into a masala made using saarina pudi/rasam powder, tamarind and jaggery. It is a specialty dish from Mysore-Bangalore region. This is one of my favourite breakfasts. In top 5 :)! I love the spicy, tangy notes in this dish. I make this for festivals especially for no feast festivals like Mahashivaratri, Ram Navami, Nagara Chauthi/Panchmi and other festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi. It is also served as prasada/prasad/offering in temples (the tastiest). Serve with curd/yogurt, a winner combination. I learnt to make this from one my aunts, full credit to her for teaching me this recipe. My MIL makes a slightly different version, she boils the masala mixture which gives a more gojju like taste (hence the name gojjavalakki), which is again super yum!
- 2 Cups avalakki/poha (thick variety)
- 2 Tbsp yellu/sesame/til
- 1 Tsp jeera
- ½ Tsp menthya/methi
- 2 Tbsp dry coconut/desiccated coconut
- 2 Tbsp jaggery
- 1 Tbsp tamarind paste or thick pulp
- 2 Tbsp rasam powder/saarina pudi(depends on spiciness of your powder)
- Salt to taste
- 2 Cups water
- 2 Tbsp oil
- 1 Tsp mustard
- A pinch of hing/asafoetida
- 1 broken dry chilli
- ½ Tbsp urad dal/uddina bele
- ½ Tbsp chana dal/kadale bele
- ¼ Cup groundnuts/peanuts
- 1 chopped green chilli
- 8-10 curry leaves
- ¼ Tsp turmeric/haldi (optional)
- ⅔ Cup freshly grated coconut
- Chopped fresh coriander for garnish
- Add jaggery into a bowl. Add rasam powder
- Mix 1 tbsp tamarind paste. Add 2 cups water
- Add salt. Mix well. Keep aside
- Roast sesame, jeera, methi till light golden
- Add dry coconut and mix. Turn off heat and let it cool
- Grind into a fine powder
- To the same powder in mixie add the poha. Blitz till avalakki is a fine powder
- Put this poha mixture into a vessel
- Pour the liquid mixture over avalakki. Mix till all liquid gets absorbed. At this stage the mixture will be very wet. Keep aside for atleast 2 hours
- After 2 hours, mix up all the poha and break up lumps with the edge of a sharp spoon
- In a pan heat oil. Add mustard, let it splutter
- Add broken red chilli and hing
- Add chana dal, urad dal, green chillies, curry leaves. Fry till golden
- Add groundnuts. Fry till crisp. Add haldi (optional)
- To poha add grated coconut and chopped coriander
- Add vaggarne/tadka to poha mixture. Mix well
- Add coriander and grated coconut on top. Serve. Enjoy with a cup of yogurt
Adjust rasam powder as per your taste. I will soon post the recipe for rasam powder
Keep all dry ingredients ready the previous day to save time
Always add masala mixture to powdered poha and not other way round. This will not create any lumps
When masala mixture is added to poha, it will be very wet and will be sticky. But as it sits for a couple of hours all moisture gets absorbed. This process also slow cooks the poha at room temperature
Do not heat the poha. It spoils the taste
If I make this on a non-festival day, and I have leftovers in the evening I add some chopped onions for a chaat like flavour
Stepwise:
Add jaggery into a bowl. Add rasam powder
Mix 1 tbsp tamarind paste. Add 2 cups water
Add salt. Mix well. Keep aside
Roast sesame, jeera, methi till light golden
Add dry coconut and mix. Turn off heat and let it cool
Grind into a fine powder
To the same powder in mixie add the poha. Blitz till avalakki is a fine powder
Put this poha mixture into a vessel
Pour the liquid mixture over avalakki. Mix till all liquid gets absorbed. At this stage the mixture will be very wet. Keep aside for atleast 2 hours
After 2 hours, mix up all the poha and break up lumps with the edge of a sharp spoon
In a pan heat oil. Add mustard, let it splutter
Add broken red chilli and hing
Add chana dal, urad dal, green chillies, curry leaves. Fry till golden
Add groundnuts. Fry till crisp. Add haldi (optional)
To poha add grated coconut and chopped coriander
Add vaggarne/tadka to poha mixture. Mix well
Add coriander and grated coconut on top. Serve. Enjoy with a cup of yogurt