Avalakki Vaggarnae, is a traditional Kannadiga dish made from flattened rice, also known as Poha. This simple yet flavorful breakfast dish is prepared by sautéing onions in a vaggarnae (tempering) of mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, and green chilis, and then finishing it with rehydrated avalakki. Garnish with fresh coconut and cilantro, and serve with Indian pickle, or plain yogurt. Light and easy to digest, Avalakki Vaggarnae is a popular breakfast option the day after a heavy dinner.
This dish is one of my favorite recipes for a quick meal that doesn’t require a lot of effort, but is still homey, and comforting. I have intentionally left out the turmeric from this recipe since the resulting white colored dish is more visually appealing and has clean flavors. But, if you prefer to add some turmeric, go ahead.
Avalakki Vaggarnae
Ingredients
- 3 cups Thick avalakki aka poha
- 1 tsp Black mustard seeds
- 1 medium Onion diced finely
- 2 Green chilis chopped finely adjust the quantity depending on the spice level and type of chilis
- 1 tsp Urad dal
- 8-10 Curry leaves
- 2 tbsp Chopped cilantro
- 3 tbsp Vegetable or Canola oil
- 1 tsp Salt or to taste
- 1 tbsp Fresh grated coconut fresh or frozen
Instructions
- Measure out the avalakki (poha) into a large bowl and rinse with cold water until the water runs almost clear. Drain the water and set the avalakki aside for 5 minutes to rehydrate. It is ok if there is a tablespoon of water at the bottom. But don’t leave too much water in the avalakki, or it will get very mushy when cooked.
- After 5 minutes, mix half the salt into the avalakki.
- Meanwhile, heat a wide, heavy bottomed saucepan and add the oil.
- Once the oil is heated, add the mustard seeds and cover until the seeds pop. After the mustard finishes popping , lower the fire and add urad dal, curry leaves and chilis. Give a quick stir and wait a minute until the dal turns golden.
- Add the chopped onions, and the rest of the salt. Cook while stirring frequently until the onions turn translucent.
- Next, add the rehydrated avalakki. Fold everything together gently for a few seconds until the onions are evenly distributed.
- Cook the avalakki over low to medium fire until the avalakki is heated through. This should not take more than a couple minutes. Avoid stirring too much at this stage. Adjust the salt if needed and turn off the fire.
- If the avalakki mixture looks too dry, you can sprinkle a tablespoon of water and mix once before turning off the fire.
- Cover the saucepan and rest the avalakki for 5 minutes. This will allow the avalakki to finish cooking in the residual heat and fluff up a bit.
- Uncover the saucepan, and fluff up the avalakki with a fork. Garnish with fresh grated coconut, and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Avalakki vaggarnae can be served with Indian style lemon or mango pickle, potato chips, or some plain yogurt.
- Store leftovers for up to 3-4 days in the fridge, and reheat in the microwave before serving
- Do not try this recipe with the thin variety of Poha, since those fall apart very quickly when soaked in water. They are meant to be used with other preparations where they are deep fried or roasted rather than rehydrated.