POTATO POHA ( POTATO AWALAKKI )

Avalakki is known as poha in Hindi. It is called in so many names in different parts of India. Aval, Avalam, Avalakki , Poha, beaten/flatten rice etc. We Kannadigas call this as avalakki and many sweet/savoury dishes are prepared using Avalakki. Avalakki is used on festival and feast days too. We can prepare payasam, pancha kajjaya unde are some sweet dishes and avalakki uppitu/upma, avalakki bisibele bath, palav are some spicy dishes. It can be fried in oil and mixed with mixture.

This is my one of the old post and now I am just adding some pics and would like to tell you how and where did I first had this food. It is one of the sweet memory. The memory goes back to 1989. I was due for the delivery of my second boy Rishikant. I was hospitalized for some reason and was in Al- Wasl Hospital in Dubai. I met a friend Latha who too was expecting her first kid and me a chatter box, I started to talk to her and we became very good friends. She delivered a baby boy and discharged went home. She is a gujarati girl and very sweet to me. I too had a baby boy and went home after 10 days since I had a cesarean I had to stay in the hospital for 10 days. But we kept in touch by talking on the phone. (Phone call used to be free those days with in the Emirate). In the later days I met her at the  temple and Latha and her hubby took us to their house. She prepared this "Potato Poha" within a short duration and it was yummy. Being Gujarati she had added potatoes instead of coconut. It was too good. I liked the dish and I have prepared this Potato Poha many times after that.
Recently we had been to Goregaon.to visit my son and his wife. We had a fantastic trip around Haridwar, Hrushikesh and Mussori on one side and Jaipur on the other side. One must visit these places in life time. Coming back food we had Aloo Poha most of the time we spent around there. Potato is the only vegetable we get in most of the time and it helps to keep our body warm during the cold winter days. So potato has become one of the must used vegetable in that places.
Lets see the benefits of eating " Potato in our " diet.
Potatoes are a very popular food source. Potatoes have good antioxidant, vitamin B6 and a good source of potassium, copper, vitamin C manganese, phosphorus and dietary fiber. Potatoes helps to improve digestion, reduce cholesterol leves, boost heart health, manage diabetes and strengthen our immune system. They also help to protect the skin, increase the blood circulation, reduce blood pressure, maintain fluid balance and boost eye health.
 DO REMEMBER : Do not eat sprout potatoes because potato sprouting leads to the conversion of starch into sugar. Most of the nutrients in potato are just beneath its skin. One must consume potato with its skin or you might eat only carbohydrates.

I have used thick variety of beaten rice/flatten rice/poha, potatoes, fresh coconut and little spices with green chilly. It will be one of the good breakfast or snack dish and every one will surely love it because it has potato in it. (I love potatoes).

Things Needed :

To Cook : 
Thick Poha:2 Cups

Potato : 2 ( Medium sized)
To add : 

Ginger : a small piece

Coriander leaves : 3 to 4 sticks

Lemon extract : 1 Teaspoon

Salt : to taste

water : 1/2  cup

Coconut : 2 to 3 Tablespoons.( fresh grated )

Turmeric powder : A pinch
Ghee : 1 Tablespoon To Season : 

Oil : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon

Urd Daal : 1/2 Tea spoon

Green chilly : 2

Method :

1. Clean Poha and wash it nicely. Drain all the water from it.Add 1/2 Cup of fresh water and let Poha absorb water and turn soft.

2. Wash and cut potatoes into small pieces. (including the skin of potatoes). Cook with little water in a small pan. (low flame).

3. Wash and cut green chilly, coriander leaves. Squeeze out the lemon extract from 1/2 Lemon and keep the juice aside.

4, Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and wash it again. Grate it and keep it aside. Grate coconut and keep it aside.

5. Keep the pan on the fire and add oil. Add mustard seeds, urid dal. Let the mustard seeds splutter.
6. Add cut green chilly and curry leaves. Add soaked avalakki. Add salt, turmeric powder. Mix it nicely. Add water if required.

7. Keep on stirring in between so that it does not get burnt at the bottom.
8. Add grated ginger and coriander leaves. let the flame be very low.

9. Keep a pan on the fire. Add 1 teaspoon of oil and heat. Add jeera and let it  turn as slightly brown. Add cooked pieces of potatoes and fry them on low flame for 1 to 2 minutes and add this friend potatoes to the ready Avalakki uppittu and mix it well. Add lemon extract and mix it nicely and slowly.
10. Put off the gas and add grated coconut, ghee and coriander leaves mix it well and serve with a cup of curd.

Note : 

You must use thicker poha to prepare this dish.

Adding channa daal and fresh coconut is optional..Can add onions.( Before adding potatoes. Potato can be chopped in bigger size and boiled before adding since boiled potatoes will not consume much time in cooking. It can be fried in oil and then added to Avalakki. you can add ground nuts while seasoning.
Time : 20 to 25 minutes.(Total time)
Serves : 3 to 4

Rice pudding .( Gudaanna ; Sweet Rice).

Rice Pudding is a sweet item and you can eat along with your lunch or dinner. This particular Rice Pudding is normally done to serve as prasaadam during Navaraatri Festival .

Things Needed....

Rice : 1 cup

jaggery : 1/2 cup

Coconut : 2 Table Spoon

Ghee : 2 to 3 Table Spoon

Salt : a pinch

Milk : 1/2 cup

Dry fruits : 2 Table spoon ( Cashew nuts , dry grapes( raisasns ) , almonds and dry dates. ( cut in to small pieces )

Cardamum : ( yalakki ) : 4 to 6 seeds .( Remove the skin and powder the seeds ).

Method:

Wash rice nicely and cook adding 2 cups of water and 1/2 cup of milk together. Keep it aside.

Now take a pan and heat 1/2 a spoon of ghee. Roast dry fruits till golden brown and remove from the pan. Add jaggery to the pan and put little water . Let the jaggery melt ...Add cooked

rice and mix it thoroughly. Let it boil together for 2 minutes. Add remained ghee and coconut and stir well. Put off the gas. Add cardamum and mix thoroughly..and pour it to the bowl.

Rice pudding is ready to serve..Serve it with little ghee on the top.

Note: Cook the rice pudding on low fire. After mixing the jaggery not to cook for a long time

since it becomes to thick and hard. Adding more ghee gives better taste.

Serves 4 to 6

Green Chiily Poori

Pooris are fried dish and every one and all age group love to have them. I just tried this pootis with Green Chilly. It can be prepared for breakfast or as evening snack. It is good for kids party since it is green colour.

I have used green chilly, coriander leaves, ginger and some spices for this green chilly pooris.
It is easy, quick and as I always say Happy Tummy.

Ingredients :

Wheat flour :2 cups
Rice flour : 2 Tablespoons
Green chillies : 2
Ginger : A small piece
Jeera : 1/2 Tea spoon
Coriander leaves : One Handful.
Salt : to taste
Oil : 1 cup (To fry)
Water : 1/4 cup

Method :

1. Take a bowl and put wheat flour , salt and one spoon of oil. Mix it well and keep it aside.
2. Wash green chilly, coriander leaves and remove the outer layer of the ginger and wash it again.
3. Cut ginger and put it in a mixi jar.
4. Now grind green chilly, ginger, corander leaves, jeera and one or two pepper pods. (Use a mixi jar and add little water while grinding. (very little water).

5. Remove the ground mixture and add it to the flour bowl. Mix it slowly. Add a spoon of ghee/oil  and prepare dough. (Thicker than chapati dough).
6. Divide the dough into small ball size.  Roll all these ball size dough into circle shape.

7. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil and heat.
8. Once it is ready fry rolled spicy pooris on both sides.

9. Put it on a kitchen tissue when you remove poori from hot pan. (extra oil absorbed by kitchen towlel.
10 Repeat the same and fry pooris and serve hot pooris with a cup of curd.

11. You can also cut these pooris in to very small. (Use any water bottle top).
12. Small pooris can be packed to school in kids lunch box.

Note : 

Add minimum water to grind the ingredients. You can add water if required, while mixing all the ingredients and preparing dough. Adding more /less chilly is optional. Adding any other spice like garam masala, chat masala or even bav bhaji masala is also optional.
Time : 30 minutes
Serves : 3 to 4.

Simple Cucumber Saasive.(Mustard ) Pachadi.

Simple Cucumber Saasive/ Pachidi is prepared using cucumber. This is one of the traditional dish of Udupi style. Mangalore Southekai is used here.

Cucumber sasive is an easy dish and we can have them with plain rice, chapatis, poori, dosa etc.
Any type of cucumber can be used for this pachadi. Mullu Southe kai also suits very well.
No Onion OR  Garlic is used in this Cucumber Sasive Pachadi. 
Lets see the recipe Now:

Ingredients :

Cucumber : 1 Bowl
Mustard Seeds 1 tea spoon
Green chilly : 2
Fresh Coconut : 2 Table spoons
Salt :to taste
oil :1/2 tea spoon
Urd Daal : 1/2 tea spoon
Ingh : a pinch
Curry leaves : 4 to 6
Yougart : 1/2 Cup ( 2 to 3 Tablespoons of curd)
Coriander Leaves : 1 Tablespoon

Method :

1. Wash and cut cucumber nicely and remove the inner seeds and cut into small pieces.
2. Put the cut cucumber pieces into water filled bowl.
3. Grate coconut and add 1/2 Teaspoon of mustard seeds and 2 to 3 Gree chilly.

4. Grind  grated coconut, mustard seeds and chilly with very little water.
5. Grind it till paste and add ingh and cut cucumber pieces. Churn for 10 seconds.

6. Remove from the mixi jar to a serving dish.
7. Keep a small pan on the fire and heat. Add 1/2 Teaspoon of oil, 1/4 spoon of mustard seeds.
8. Add urid dal and ingh. Let mustard splutter. Add curry leaves and put off the fire.

9. Add this mustard seasoning to Cucumber Sasive. Add cure/yogurt and mix it well.
10 Serve with plain rice or chapati or roti

Note : 
You can grate cucumber instead of grinding. Do not add any water when you grind. Cucumber has lots of water init. You can use any kind of cucumber for pachadi/sasive. adding chilly is optional. Adding coconut oil is also optional. You can also add red chilly instead of green chilly or chilly powder. Remember Home made is always the best. Check the cucumber for the bitterness.
 Time : 15 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 . 

Capsicum and Coconut Chutney

I have prepared Capsicum chutney a long ago and it is the normal chutney with capsicum and coconut. Recently some one has shown how to prepare chutney using capsicum cooked on gas burner and then used it for chutney.

It is just like that we cook gulla/special brinjal or normal brinjal to prepare bajji/curd or savoury curry.
I have used little urid dal, gas cooked capsicum and coconut to prepare this chutney. Try and enjoy this chutney with plain rice (hot) or with any other main dish. You are going to say "WOW", no doubt in it.
Let us see some benefits of eating "Capsicum" in our diet.
Capsicum helps to get a relief from stomach problesm, headaches, peptic ulcers and back pain. It is also good for menopausal problems and diabetes. It has anti-aging, anti-inflammatory properties. It helps to provide relief from pain related arthritis. It also helps to boost immunity. Capsicum is loaded with Vitamin A and Vitamin C. They are filled with anti-aging properties.
Let us see the recipe now :
No Onion OR No Garlic is added in this "Capsicum and Coconut Chutney".

Things Needed. :

Coconut :  1 Bowl. (4 to 5 Tablespoons)

Capsicum - 1

To Fry 

Urid dal : 1 Teaspoon
Red chilly : 4 to 5
Ingh/Asafoetida : A pinch

Curry Leaves - 5 to 6 Leaves
 Tamarind : A small marble size

Salt - To Taste.

For seasoning : 

Oil - 1 Tablespoon

Musard Seeds - 1/4 tea spoon

Curry Leaves : 5 to 6

Method :

1. Wash and wipe capsicum. Apply oil around it.
2. Put on the fire and place the oil greased capsicum on the burner. Let it cook on low flame.

3. Cook on all the sides by changing its position.

4. Remove the black patches on the capsicum and clean it with a tissue.
5. Cut into small pieces and let it cool.

6. Keep a pan on the fire and add 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil.
7. Add a teaspoon of urid dal and fry till they turn golden brown.
8. Add red chilly and fry nicely. (byadagi chilly).
9. Add curry leaves and ingh. Put off the fire. Add tamarind and let all the ingredients cool.

10. Grate coconut and grind it with fried urid dal mixture, tamarind and cooked capsicum.
11. Add salt and grind it till it turn paste consistency. (or your desired consistency). Add required water to grind.

12. Remove from the mixi jar to a serving dish. Add coconut oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves and ingh seasoning and serve the yummy " Capsicum and Coconut Chutney".

Note :

Cook capsicum on all sides. Clean out the outer layer before making into pieces. Remove all the black dots before cutting. (If any hard part of black on capsicum). Adding more/less chilly is optional. Use of coconut oil is optional. Cooking capsicum on fire is one of the old tradition and it taste better.
Time : 20 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3.

Vadaape..

Vadaape.. is some thing like Vada, prepared using rice flour and curd. It is one of the Malenaadu dish  (Shimogga - Karnataka state). When the rainy season starts, the body craves for some thing fried, spicy and stomach filling dish. It is a natural feeling I can say. Malenaadu means Heavy raining area. It is mostly rural area too. So think of the rain pouring outside and the Hot Vadapes are served with coconut chutney with a hot coffee. It is a fantastic feeling one can enjoy.

I have eaten this Vadape at Shobha Somayaji's House. She is the  principal of Hongirana School which is in Amte Koppa. (10 K.M. away from Sagar). She is full of entu and not only takes care of the whole school activity, entertain her guests and cooks herself and feeds them happily.  We keep going there to visit her. We love to see the places around Sagar. So such one of the visit she had prepared this Vadaape. Next time I saw this Vadaape in one T. V. show.  Archana Udupa one of the great Kannada Singer preparing Vadape in that cooking show. This is how I was inspired and prepared Vadape in our home.

As I said earlier Vadape is a fried dish. May be because it looks like vada, it must have got the name Vadaape. We call any special eatable as appa. For example guli appa, banana appa (banana sweet fritters), Halasina hannina appa (jack fruit fritters) etc. Likewise this vada must have called as appa. So Vade + Appa has turned into Vadape.This is how I understood the word Vadaape.
Vadaape is prepared  using rice flour, curd, onion and some spices.
Here is a recipe and Vadape can be eaten for breakfast or as evening snack or any time of the day.

Things Needed : 

Rice flour : 2 Cups
Onion..2 ( Medium)

Ginger an inch

Green chilly : 2

Coconut- 2 to 3 Tablespoons..( Fresh - grated )

Curry Leaves-Handful

Coriander leaves.- 2 to 3 sticks (finely chopped)

Salt: to taste

Oil : to Fry ( One cup )

Curd - 2 Tablespoons

Method : 

1. Wash and cut onions, green chilly, curry leaves and coriander leaves.
2. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
3.Wash and remove the outer skin of ginger and wash it again. Grate it and keep it aside.
4. Take a big bowl or pan, put cut onions, chilly, curry leaves, coriander leaves, ginger and coconut.

5. Add 2 tablespoons of curd, rice flour and salt.

6. Mix it well and add required water. Prepare soft dough. (Akki rotti consistency ).

7. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil and let it heat.
8. Take a small ball size of prepared dough and pat on the palm or on banana or any edible leaf.
9. Make a circle type and make hole in the middle. It gives vada shape.

10. Slowly put this in hot oil and fry on both sides. Remove from the hot oil once it is done and place on kitchen tissue.

11. Repeat the same and prepare the rest of the Vadapes.

 12. Serve Hot Vadaape with coconut or any other chutney you prepared. Coconut chutney goes well with Vadaape.

Note : 

Add water little by little while preparing the dough. If you feel the dough consistency is watery add little more rice flour. You can add a teaspoon of jeera to the dough. (I have not added). Adding coconut is optional. Do not add any oil or ghee while mixing. Fry on medium flame. You can try this using any edible leaves like palak, dil or methi leaves.
Time : 30 to 40 minutes. (Total time)
Serves : 3 to 4 
15 Vadape can be made. (depends on the size you prepare ).