Aval Upma- Beaten rice flakes

Aval Upma is typically made either for breakfast or a tea time snack. Beaten rice flakes of two kinds are sold in most grocery stores, for the two dishes below, I recommend the smaller one.

Aval Upma

1/2 cup aval
1/2 onion finely chopped
3-4 tbsp boiled green peas or 1/4 cup finely chopped potatoes
1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
1/2" ginger finely chopped, optional
a pinch of asafoetida
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp chana dal
1 tbsp roasted peanuts with skin removed
Curry leaves, finely chopped coriander & grated coconut for garnish
1 pinch turmeric, salt to taste, oil as required


Wash the rice flakes well in water and strain them. Keep aside for 5-10 mins. Heat 1 tbsp oil and add a pinch of asafoetida, mustard, chana dal, chillies, ginger, curry leaves and onion. (If using potatoes, add now) Fry for a couple of minutes on medium flame, add turmeric and the soaked rice flakes. Mix well add salt add boiled peas (if using) and peanuts. Garnish with chopped coriander and either squeezed lemon juice or grated coconut.



Sweet Aval


This used to be a favourite after school snack. Its very healthy too!!


1/2 cup beaten flakes
1-2 cups milk flavoured with ground cardamom powder
grated jaggery as per taste
3 tbsp grated coconut


As before, wash and drain the rice flakes. Soak it in milk according to consistency required. Add jaggery and grated coconut. Based on taste, this can be a thin or thick pudding. Its absolutely yummy, take my word for it.

A Relaxed Morning

So Diwali is over. Except for the sweets and food that have found comfortable places in me and are going to take a lot of dedicated hours in the gym to get rid off. We still have a few more crackers to burst this evening. I think I was around 4 when a sparkler fell on my foot. And ever since, I have not been excited about fireworks. Till about a few years back when N insisted I light a flowerpot. Now, every year thats exactly what I do- light the flower pots and the ground wheel (chakra).

We had a yummy breakfast, courtesy Mom-in-law and Seema, of Pongal and Tomato Chutney. Pongal used to be a Sunday staple back in my parents' home.

Pongal

1 cup uncooked rice
3/4 cup moong dal
1 small piece of asafoetida or a pinch of its powder
7-8 curry leaves
2 green chillies
1 tsp cumin
8 peppercorns
1.5" finely chopped ginger
Salt, Ghee, oil

Pressure cook the rice and dal with 5 cups of water with salt, asafoetida and peppercorns till soft. Heat a mixture of 2 tbsp gingelly oil and ghee or just ghee. Fry the other ingredients in it for a minute, add the cooked rice and mix well. Add a little more ghee so the rice begins to leave the sides of the pan. Garnish with cashews fried in ghee.

Tomato Chutney

4 ripe red tomatoes chopped

1 big onion chopped

1" ginger chopped fine

1 green chilly chopped

2 tsp tamarind paste

1 tsp sambhar powder

1/2 tsp mustard

1 pinch asafoetida/hing

Turmeric powder, salt to taste, oil

1 sprig curry leaves, 1 tsp coriander chopped fine

Heat 2 tbsp gingelly oil in a pan. Add hing, mustard seeds, curry leaves, ginger, chilly and stir for a minute. Add the chopped onion and fry for a couple of minutes. Mix in the tomatoes, sambhar powder and a pinch of turmeric powder. Meanwhile, dilute the tamarind paste in 1/2 cup water. Add to the tomatoes after 4-5 minutes. Mix well, add salt and let cook till the veggies are all cooked and the chutney reaches desired consistency. Garnish with chopped coriander.