Gojjavalakki / Poha in a spicy sauce / ಗೊಜ್ಜವಲಕ್ಕಿ

Gojju = a sauce which is sweet, hot and sour
Avalakki = Poha / Flattened rice/Beaten Rice

Gojju avalakki / HuLi avalakki is a recipe where in you mix the poha in the spicy sauce. It is usually made as breakfast or as an evening snack. It is quick and easy to make.




Servings: 1 cup Poha / Avalakki makes 2 full servings.

Ingredients:

1 cup - Poha/Flattened Rice / ಅವಲಕ್ಕಿ
3/4 cup - water /ನೀರು
2 tsp - Rasam / Saaru powder /ಸಾರಿನ ಪುಡಿ ( home made rasam powder OR MTR rasam powder)
1 tbsp - Tamarind paste / ಹುಣಿಸೇಹಣ್ಣು
1 tbsp - sugar / grated jaggery /ಸಕ್ಕರೆ ಅಥವಾ ಬೆಲ್ಲ
1 tsp - salt / ಉಪ್ಪು
1/2 tsp - turmeric / ಅರಿಶಿನ
3 tbsp - Oil / ಎಣ್ಣೆ (divided 1+2)
1 tsp - All Spice powder / Jeerige menthya pudi / ಜೀರಿಗೆ ಮೆಂತ್ಯ ಪುಡಿ
1 tsp - sesame seeds /Ellu powder / ಎಳ್ಳು ಪುಡಿ
( dry roast few spoons sesame seeds and powder it. You can also use it in puliyogare and gojju)

Seasoning / ಒಗ್ಗರಣೆ
Oil /ಎಣ್ಣೆ, 1 tsp Mustard seeds /ಸಾಸಿವೆ, Asafoetida/ Hing /ಇಂಗು, 2 tbsp groundnuts /ಕಡೆಲೆಕಾಯಿ ಬೀಜ , 2 Dry red Chillies / ವಣ ಮೆಣಸಿನಕಾಯಿ , few Curry leaves / ಕರಿಬೇವಿನ ಸೊಪ್ಪು


Method:

Take poha/avalakki in a mixer or blender , just run it for 1-2 minutes and make it into a coarse powder.

Take a big pan / kadai. Add 3/4 cup water keep it on stove on medium flame. add tamarind, jaggery, salt, rasam powder, turmeric. Stir it till everything dissolves. allow it to boil and then switch off the stove. This is our spicy sauce.

(One important tip here is the correct Poha to water ratio. It has to be 1:3/4. If you just use water by approximation, the mixture can become very dry, Poha does not get soaked or mixture is too watery)


Now allow the sauce/gojju to cool completely. Once its come to room temperature, add 1 tbsp oil, all spice powder and sesame seeds powder to it .Then add the powdered poha to it. Stir nicely. At first it will all become like a paste, just leave it for 10-15 minutes, the poha will absorb the water and become grainy. (ಅವಲಕ್ಕಿ ನೀರು ಹೀರಿ ಉದುರಾಗುತ್ತೆ ) Check for the taste, u can add some salt if needed, if u feel its too sour u can add some sugar. If you want it little more sour, add some lemon juice.

To make the seasoning, heat a small kadai add 2 tbsp oil, add hing, mustard seeds, then add groundnuts, then some curry leaves and dry red chillies. Pour this over the Poha and mix well. Spicy poha or gojjavalakki is ready. It is hot, sweet and sour. You can adjust the rasam powder,tamarind and sugar to suit your taste.

It can be eaten as it is or with some buttermilk or yogurt. It can be kept at room temperature for up to 1 day without fridge. So u can take it when u are traveling.