My mom prepares aval upma very often as a snack food for us during our childhood days. But I tasted the slightly sweeter version of it, only when I joined my first job in Pune. It was served with sev and lemon wedges there. I loved the combination of crunchy sev and soft poha. From then, I started to eat Aval upma with sev.
It is also sometimes served with potato. Till now, never tasted poha with potato but I have heard the combo works out well. Here I am posting my Mom's way of preparing aval upma with my favourite sev and lemon wedges.
Basic Information:
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Serves:3
Ingredients:
Thick Poha/ Aval/ Flattened Rice - 2 cups
Turmeric powder - a big pinch
Oil - 3 teaspoons
Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoons
Peanuts - 1/4 cup, with skin
Green chilli - 2 nos, slit
Curry leaves - 1 string
Onion - 1/4 cup, finely chopped
Salt - to taste
Fine Sev - for serving, optional
Lemon Juice - 1/2 - 1 teaspoon, optional
Sugar - 1/2 teaspoon, optional
Method:
1) Wash poha in a running water quickly. Use colander to make this job easier.
2) Completely drain the water and transfer the poha to a bowl.
3) Add turmeric powder and toss well to mix it evenly. Cover and keep it aside for 10 minutes.
4) Meanwhile, Heat oil in a frying pan.
5) Add mustard seeds when it is hot.
6) Add greenchilli, curry leaves and peanuts after all the mustard seeds splutter.
7) Fry for 3-4 minutes without burning.
8) Add onion and saute until it becomes soft and translucent. Add salt and turmeric powder. Stir well to spread the salt evenly. Add sugar if using.
9) Add poha and reduce the flame. Stir gently without breaking poha.
10) After 4 minutes turn off the stove. Squeeze out lemon juice if using.
11) Serve with fine sev.
