Huli Avalakki

                                                                     Huli Avalakki  


Huli Avalakki is a very authentic dish of the kundapura district of Karnataka. It is usually prepared for special occasions. It's a tangy, sweet, and spicy recipe. It can be eaten hot or cold. In my mom's house in Mangalore, they prepare it in a slightly different style.

This is a very favorite dish of my father-in-law and I learned it from my mother-in-law. She makes it very tasty. In our house too, my kids and husband love this recipe. My husband does prefer a little milder in the spice level from the usual style. I had made this recipe several times when I called my friends (ladies) for Haldi -kumkuma during Navratri times. It tastes very close to Gojju Avalaki which is famous in Mysore. It is usually prepared as a snack for engagements and breakfast for weddings and during festivals. They say Avalakki (beaten rice/Poha) is a favorite dish of Lord Krishna. It is also very good for digestion and acidity. Plainly soaked poha with yogurt is best for acidity.

Hope you will like this authentic Kundapura recipe!


Ingredients:

3 cups of thick Beaten rice (poha/Avalakki)
1/2-3/4 cup thick tamarind paste
1 1/2  cup fresh grated coconut
10-12 red chili (kashmiri/byadige) less spicy one
Salt as per taste
3 tsp jaggery (as per taste)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp urad dal (split black gram dal)
10-12 curry leaves
2-3 tsp peanuts
1/4 tsp hing powder
2 table spoon oil


Procedure:

• Wash and soak overnight the beaten rice (Poha) .

• In the morning, mix poha with tamarind pulp, 2 tsp salt, jagarry, and  turmeric powder. Keep it aside for 1-2 hours. I prefer a little sweet and sour taste and for that, add more jaggery. You can adjust your tamarind, salt, chili, and jaggery according to your family's taste.Usually it is a strong recipe which means more of tamarind, salt, and spice.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

In a blender, nicely grind fresh coconut,10 red chili and 1/2 tsp mustard seeds with a little of water. Paste should have less water. Here during the lock-down time, because I didn't have grated coconut, I used broken coconut instead.

• Take a pan. Add 2 tsp of oil and fry peanuts till it turns a nice brown. Take it out and keep it aside.
  
  
  
  
  
• Take a pan. Add 3 more tsp of oil, little mustard seeds, hing (asafatodia),1 broken red chili powder, and urad dal. Once mustard seeds crack, add 5 curry leaves and ground masala paste. Fry it nicely till a nice aroma comes and all the water evaporates. Doing this, the masala is cooked nicely and the dish won't spoil (get rotten) during the summer or for long. Take the masala out and keep it aside. 
• Add a little more oil and again add a little bit of  mustard seeds, broken red chili, hing, and urad dal. Once mustard seeds sputter, add curry leaves and then soaked poha (Avalakki). Mix it nicely. Then add masala and mix everything thoroughly. Adjust the salt and jaggery according to your taste.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• You need to keep stirring for 5-10 minutes till it is mixed properly and leaves all flavor. Don't leave unattended as it may burn from the bottom.
• Garnish with peanuts.
• Enjoy.