Avalakki ogarne (Spicy Poha)

One of the quickly made spicy breakfast in any south Indian house is with avalakki (poha) as its called in Kannada. In India we get different types of poha, hard, medium and paper types. Any of them can be used to make this dish. But the soaking time for each differs.

Ingredients: -

2 cups of Avalakki/poha

1 medium Onion, cut into small pieces

2 medium sized potatoes cut into small pieces vertically. The thinner the pieces are, the faster they become soft.

2-3 green chilies

Curry leaves

Coriander for garnishing

3 tbsp groundnuts

1 tsp Bengal gram (Kadle bele)

1 tsp mustard seeds (sasve)

1 tsp black gram (Udhina bele)

1 tsp turmeric

Sambar powder prepared at home (Huli pudi)/Garam Masala

Salt

Pre-cooking: -

Depending on the type of avalakki (poha), the soaking time varies.

1. For the hard type: -

Wash the poha well and soak it with very little water, before you start to cut the vegetables and prepare the tadka. Usually 10 minutes would be ideal. By the time the poha has to be added to the tadka mixture, it has to be soft.

2. For the medium type: - Wash the poha well and leave it in the same plate without soaking it. This can usually be done, when the vegetables are being cooked. Ideally for 3-5 minutes.

3. For the paper types: - Wash the poha well and drain all the water completely. This has to be done, just before adding poha to the tadka. No need to soak this type of poha as its already thin and will soak lot of water.

Method to prepare the tadka: -

1. Put the ground nuts in a pan and roast it without oil and keep aside. (healthier)

2. Put oil and heat it for a while. Add the mustard seeds.

3. When the mustard seeds crack/split, add the curry leaves, Bengal gram and black gram.

4. After the grams turn a little brown, add the groundnuts, onion and turmeric.

5. Fry till the onion become transparent.

6. Add potatoes and fry for 1-2 minutes more.

7. Add salt according to taste.

8. Add garam masala/huli pudi and close the pan and leave it for 3-5 minutes, till the potatoes become soft. If necessary add very little water.

9. Add poha directly into the pan and mix well.

10. Close the pan and leave it on the stove for a minute more. Should be cooked on low flame now.

11. Remove from fire, garnish with coriander and serve hot.