Poha / Aval Uppuma

Poha ... I first tasted this delicacy at Coimbatore. Until then it was anathema to me. Amma served it one rainy evening when I had gone home for holidays.

Aval Uppuma is the my version of the favourite Maharashtrian Poha. For various reasons, I prefer to cook without onions. This is one such recipe, modified - with the addition of vegetables. There are times when I do not have peas in the freezer; I add roasted peanuts (groundnuts) instead of green peas. We enjoy it for breakfast and at snack time and ... at those times when I simply cannot think of what to do and also when I need something in a jiffy.

Ingredients:

Aval - 2 cups

Potato - 1

Cabbage - 1/2 cup, shredded

Tomato - 1, chopped fine

Green Peas - 1/2 cup

Ginger - 1/2

Green Chillies - 3

Oil - 3 Tbsp

Mustard - 1/4 tsp

Urad dal - 1/2 tsp

Jeera - 1/4 tsp

Curry Leaves - 1 sprig

Turmeric Pd - 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Lemon Juice - 1 tsp

Coriander Leaves - 2 Tbsp

Method:

 Wash the poha and drain well*. Keep aside for 10 - 15 minutes. Peel and chop the potato to the size of flakes (flat & small) - it should blend well with the Poha. Grate or mince the ginger. Chop chillies finely.

Heat oil in a kadai and splutter mustard, jeera and urad dal. Add curry leaves, ginger and chili. Add turmeric powder along with vegetables and saute for 2 minutes. Add salt to taste and sprinkle water. Simmer until vegetables are nearly cooked.

Add the soaked Aval and stir to mix well. Cook covered for 2 - 3 minutes. Leave undisturbed for a couple of minutes.

Sprinkle lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves. Mix well and serve hot.

Hope you enjoy my version as much as I do.

Note:
*Be very quick while washing the poha. Dunk handfuls of poha in a bowl of water. Swish it around for 2 seconds and remove the poha (aval) from the water, squeezing the extra water out. Transfer to a bowl. It will swell up and be dry to touch in 10 minutes or so.
This ensures that the dust is well removed.
** Use Aval (Poha) of medium thickness. Each variety absorbs water in different proportions.