Aval upma is the South Indian style of preparing poha and is a variation to the basic rava upma. This can be eaten with plain yogurt or with a cup of tea or coffee. Making aval upma is very quick and just takes about 15 minutes. I have shared only the basic version here. You can also use mixed veggies to add some nutrition to the dish. Potatoes, peas, capsicum and carrots go well in this dish. Poha upma can also be packed in the tiffin box for the kids or can be had for a after school snack. I have used white poha but it can be made using red poha too. Please note that aval upma cannot be made with thin poha as they become soggy and mushy when rinsed. Thick or medium poha will give you a nice dish that is not mushy or too soft. More Aval recipesBatata pohaAval payasamMilk pohaAval ladooPoha chivda

Preparation for poha upma

  1. Add 2 cups poha to a bowl and rinse them well twice. Drain the water completely, cover and set aside to soften for 10 mins. Meanwhile prepare the following:

1 medium onion (slice or chop)1 medium tomato (deseed and chop)2 green chilies (chop or slit)1 teaspoon ginger grated or minced (optional)2 tablespoons coriander leaves

  1. After 10 mins, check the aval if they are soft. Press down a few flakes with your fingers. They should get mashed easily. Otherwise sprinkle some water, mix and rest until the tempering is ready.

How to make aval upma

  1. Pour 1½ tablespoon oil to a hot pan. Add

1 teaspoon chana dal 1 teaspoon urad dal 3 tablespoons peanuts. Fry them until the peanuts turn golden & aromatic. Then add ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. When they splutter, add 1 pinch of hing.

  1. Add green chilis, ginger, onions and curry leaves.
  2. When the onions turn transparent, add chopped tomatoes, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon turmeric. You can also skip tomatoes and use lemon juice towards the end of making it. Fry until the tomatoes turn soft and mushy.
  3. Add soaked poha, ¼ teaspoon more salt and 2 tablespoons coconut (optional).
  4. Mix and cover. Steam cook on lowest heat till the aval upma turns hot. Turn off the stove. Taste test and add more salt if needed. Add lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve aval upma hot with curd or tea/coffee.