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Puli Aval or Tangy & Spiced Beaten Rice Flakes

A dish of beaten rice flakes cooked in a little tamarind juice and then seasoned and tempered with spices. What this makes is a dish that is a little spicy and tangy with a hint of sweet topped off with peanuts. Use any aval or beaten rice of your choice – or think of this as an opportunity to experiment with a heritage or folk rice variety. You cannot go wrong!
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Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups dry thick aval/ poha/ beaten rice flakes
  • 2 1/2 tbsps sesame oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 2 tsp split black gram lentils, urad dal
  • 2 tbsps Bengal gram lentils, chana dal
  • 1/8 cup skinned peanuts
  • 1/8 tsp asafoetida powder
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 2 - 3 sprigs curry leaves
  • 2 green chillies, chopped
  • A large marble-sized ball of dry tamarind
  • 1 tbsp powdered jaggery
  • Salt to taste

Method
 

  1. To make tamarind extract, take a small round of tamarind (about the size of a marble. Put it in about 1/4 cup warm water and rub it into the water with your fingertips. This will release the pulp. Squeeze out the liquid and throw the solids away. You will need 2 tsp thick tamarind extract for this preparation.
  2. Put the red/ brown aval/ poha/beaten rice flakes in a large bowl and pour enough water to immerse it. Use your fingers and lightly rub the flakes. Let it sit for a couple of minutes and then drain out the water. If you’re suing the white variety, it doesn’t need soaking. Rinse well a couple of times using your fingers. Drain well and keep aside. The rice flakes will puff a bit and soften from absorbing water. Keep aside.
  3. Heat the oil in a pan or wok. Add the mustard seeds, when they splutter, add the lentils (dals) and the peanuts stirring for about a minute or till they turn a golden brown. Now add the chopped green chillies, curry leaves, asafoetida powder, turmeric powder and stir a couple of times. Mix in the tamarind extract and powdered jaggery.
  4. Add the aval/ poha/ beaten rice flakes and salt to taste. Mix everything well together so the spices even coat the beaten rice flakes.
  5. Serve hot, as it is, or with coconut chutney or yogurt on the side.