Quick Avalakki

Avalakki/poha/flattened rice /Aval is such a handy grain and you can prepare lovely dishes using this grain. Avalakki comes to help when you are tired, bored, just want to relax with some simple dish.
I have tried this Avalakki for breakfast. It is simple, quick and yummy. I am sure you all are going to try and enjoy this quick Avalakki.

I have used medium size avalakki/beaten flatten rice, home prepared spice powder, lemon, ginger and jaggery. Not to forget the seasonings and coconut.
Avalakki is always a better choice because it is easy to prepare and good for health. You can prepare this Avalakki on festival or feast days since there is no onion or garlic added here in this recipe.
No Garlic OR No Onion is added to this Quick Avalakki. Good for breakfast or snack.
Let us see the recipe now :

Things needed :

To Cook :
Avalakki /Flattened rice : 2 Cups

To Add :
Lemon : 1 Lemon extract/lemon juice
Jaggery : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Ginger : An inch
Spice powder : 1 Teaspoon
Coconut : 3 to 4 Tablespoons
Salt : As required
Ghee : 2 Tablespoons
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons.

To Season :
Coconut Oil : ! Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves :  8 to 10
Green chilly : 1
Ground Nuts : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method :

!. Wash and cut coriander leaves, slit green chilly and  curry leaves.
2. Grate coconut and keep it aside. Wash ginger and remove the outer layer. Grate it and keep it aside.
3. Wash avalakki and drain all the water from it.
4. Add turmeric powder, powdered jaggery, salt, lemon juice, spice powder and mix it well.
5. Add 1/4 cup of water and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

6. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add a tablespoon of oil. Add mustard seeds, urid dal and let mustard seeds splutter.

7. Add slit green chilly and fry for a minute. Add curry leaves and stir once. Let the flame be low.
8. Add avalakki and mix it nicely. Slowly mix it. Let all the mixture mix it well. Add water if required.

9. Let all the ingredients mix well. Add water if required. Cover the lid and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Put off the fire. Cover with lid and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add ghee and mix it well.
10. Keep a small pan and heat. Add 1/2 teaspoon of oil and fry ground nuts. Fry till they turn slightly golden colour. Add this fried groundnuts to avalakki.

11. Now shift the ready Avalakki to a serving bowl. Add coconut and fried groundnuts on the top of avalakki.

12. Serve with a cup of curd.

Note :

If you are using very thick avalakki put little more water and let it rest for little more time. Adding groundnuts is optional. Use of coconut oil is optional. Any cooking oil can do. You should  add ghee when the avalakki is hot. So that it melts and mixes well with avalakki. I have used dry roasted methi seeds and raw mustard seeds powder as spice powder. I have used green chilly which has naturally turned red when kept it for a long time.
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 2 to 3.

Spice Powder : 

Dry roast 1/2 Teaspoon of methi seeds and dry grind with 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds and 1 teaspoon of red chilly powder. 

Cucumber - Jaggery Dosa & Guli Appa

Cucumber/Mullu southekai as we call it, is mainly used in salads and eaten raw. We do make use of it in curries, idli, roti or dosa.

Here I have prepared Sweet Dosa, using Cucumber, Bottle gourd and the normal dosa ingredients with jaggery.

Cucumber Jaggery Dosa turns soft once it is fully fermented. Soak rice for 2 to 3 hours and grind it with cucumber and strictly no water. The batter should be thick and you can add water if needed once you start preparing dosa the next day morning or after 5 to 5 hours.
This is one of the South Canara /Udupi recipe which my doddamma and amma used to prepare. Dosa turns soft and fluffy and very nice to have them for breakfast or as snack.
Let us see some benefits of having breakfast in the morning.
Breakfast is one of the best meal for the day. It gives energy for the whole day. It helps to strengthen  metabolism and helps you to concentrate at work.Eating breakfast is good for health. It helps for better memory and concentration, lowers the bad cholesterol and helps in increasing good cholesterol.
Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

Raw Rice : 2 Cups
Urid dal : 1/2 Cup
Methi /Fenugrik seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Fresh grated coconut : 2 Tablespoons
Cucumber : 2 (Very small ones or 1 medium size)
Grated bottle gourd : 1 Small bowl. (1/2 bottle gourd of medium size)
Jaggery : 2 Tablespoons./Powdered
Salt : As required
Oil/ghee : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Wash and soak raw rice, urid dal and methi seeds together for 2 to 3 hours.

2. Grate coconut. Wash cucumber and cut into small pieces. Grate bottle gourd.

3. Now grind soaked rice-dal mixture with coconut,grated bottle gourd and cucumber till paste.

4. Add jaggery to the dough. Grind it for 2 minutes. Remove from mixi jar to a big bowl and add salt. Mix it well and let it ferment nicely till next morning/Overnight.

5. Mix the dough nicely.

6. Next morning see that dough is fermented well. Dough should be like normal dosa consistency.
7. Keep a pan on the fire and add very little oil and clean it with a kitchen tissue.
8. Take a ladle full of Cucumber jaggery dosa dough and pour it on the hot pan.

9. Do not spread much. Add oil on the top, cover and cook on medium flame for a minute.
10. Remove the cover and turn the dosa on the other side and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

11. Remove it from the pan. Dosa is ready to serve.

12. Serve it with a spoon of fresh ghee on the top of hot Cucumber jaggery dosa and a side dish of your wish.

Note :
The dough has to be fermented well or you will not get good dosas. So you need to see the dough is fermented well. Use of jaggery more /less is optional. Thick dosas taste better. Spreading and making it thin might tare and it will not come out of the pan. Let the flame be low while pouring the dough to the pan and then increase the flame to medium flame). I have used organic jaggery. Powder the jaggery and then add it. ( It is easy to grind powdered jaggery). Adding bottle gourd is optional. ( I have added grated bottle gourd while grinding along with cucumber). Time : Soaking the ingredients 3 hours + grinding 10 minutes and fermentation over night/6 to 7 hours.
Dosa preparation : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 .

You can also prepare Guli appa /guntponglu/kuli appam/paddu using the same dough. I added little grated carrots on the top of Guli appa.