Vegetable Poha (Avalakki / Aval Upma)

Poha Flattened rice (also called beaten rice) is also called Avalakki in Kannada, Atukulu in Telugu and Aval in Tamil.

This vegetable Poha is one of our favorite go-to meals. I make this whenever we are in a hurry or have to eat something healthy or just don’t know what to cook. It is light tasting, healthy, full of nutrients but yet manages to fill the stomach for an hour or two.

Poha tends to have a dry taste after few bites, so some tips to overcome this is to add slightly more oil during seasoning, more onions, add some shredded coconut and also some peanuts. But important of all is to serve when hot as it tends to dry when it begins to cool.

Ingredients

• 2 cups poha (preferably thick)
• 1 cup vegetables diced (peas/corn/bens/potato) fresh/frozen
• ½ cup chopped onions
• Handful of peanuts (optional)
• Turmeric
• 1 Tbsp ginger grated
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• Asafetida
• 3-4 green chillies (slit)
• Curry leaves
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup shredded coconut (optional)
• 3-4 Tbsp oil
• Chopped coriander leaves for garnish
• 1 tsp sugar (optional)

• Salt to taste

Preparation:

• Soak the poha in enough water; let it sit until it turns soft. Drain the water completely. (Note that the soaking time depends on the type of poha, if it is thin then just sprinkling of water is good enough to soften it).
• Chop the vegetables finely and boil them separately either in the microwave or stovetop.
• Chop the onions finely and also the coriander leaves and keep aside.

Method:

• Heat the oil in a heavy bottom pan and add mustard seeds let it splutter then add asafetida followed by curry leaves.
• Add the peanuts (optional) and mix continuously until it crisps.
• Add the chopped onion to this mixture, mix well and sauté until it turns translucent.
• Add the other boiled vegetables, green chillies, salt, and turmeric and mix well. Add more oil at this point if necessary.
• Next add the soaked poha, sugar(optional), grated ginger and mix well.
• Allow this to cook by covering a lid.
• Finally garnish this with chopped coriander, juice of a lemon and shredded coconut.