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Puli aval
Tamarind flattened rice
Puli aval: tamarind-soaked flattened rice with a crunchy mustard, dal and peanut tempering
Puli aval is the quick cousin of tamarind rice from Tamil Nadu, cooked in Kumbakonam and Tirunelveli homes as an evening tiffin or a light supper when there's no rice left in the pot. Thick flattened rice is soaked in tamarind water, then tossed into a crackling tempering of mustard seeds, dals, red chilli and peanuts. It tastes tangy, a little sweet and nutty, with soft flakes and crunchy bits. The common mistake is drowning the aval in tamarind water so it turns to porridge; it only needs to be moistened, not soaked. Chef's tip: let the tempered aval sit, covered and off the heat, for 2 minutes before serving so the flakes soften evenly and drink in the tamarind.
- Total time
- 13 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tbsp tamarind paste
- ¾ cup warm water
- 1 tsp jaggery or brown sugargrated
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¾ tsp salt
For the tempering
- 2 tbsp sesame (gingelly) oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp urad dal
- 1 tsp chana dal
- 3 tbsp raw peanuts
- 2 dried red chilliesbroken in half
- 1 sprig curry leaves
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Stir 1 ½ tbsp tamarind paste, 1 tsp jaggery or brown sugar, ¼ tsp ground turmeric and ¾ tsp salt into ¾ cup warm water until smooth.
Step 2: Put 5 ½ oz thick flattened rice (aval/poha) in a sieve, rinse quickly under the tap and shake dry. Tip into a bowl, pour over the tamarind water and toss so every flake is coated. Leave for 4–5 minutes, until a flake squashes easily between your fingers but still holds its shape.
5 minStep 3: Meanwhile heat 2 tbsp sesame (gingelly) oil in a wide pan over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds and, once it pops, add 1 tsp urad dal, 1 tsp chana dal and 3 tbsp raw peanuts. Fry, stirring, until the dals are golden and the peanuts smell toasty.
3 minStep 4: Add 2 dried red chillies and 1 sprig curry leaves; they will crackle at once.
Step 5: Tip in the soaked aval and toss gently over a low heat for 2–3 minutes, until hot and evenly coloured. Taste for salt and sourness.
3 minStep 6: Cover, turn off the heat and leave for 2 minutes before serving, with a spoon of plain curd or a papad on the side.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does puli aval take?
- About 13 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 8 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of thick flattened rice (aval/poha)?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of jaggery or brown sugar?
- White sugar + 1 tbsp molasses or treacle per 200g.
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