Recipe - Huli Avalakki (Puffed Rice Snack)

Description: HuLi Avalakki is puffed rice prepared into a really yummy breakfast! It’s so easy to prepare that it is almost like a fast food! I haven't heard of anybody who hasn't liked it till now.

Dishes prepared out of puffed rice have a bit of mythological history attached behind them ( Check it out here if your are interested to know what the story is ). Because of this, we in India are not supposed to refuse to eat anything prepared out of puffed rice if it is offered to us!

Anyway, I'll get on to the recipe now.

Preparation Time : 5 minutes.

Cooking Time : 10 minutes.

Ingredients:
1. avalakki (Puffed Rice): About 150 grams
2. kobbari turi (Grated Coconut): a little . It is optional
3. uddina bele (Black gram): 1 tablespoon
4. kaDle bele (Bengal gram): 1 tablespoon
5. saasive (Mustard Seeds): 1 teaspoon
6. huLi (Tamarind water/ Concentrated tamarind): as per taste
7. bella (Brown Sugar): about 10 grams or as per taste
8. uppu (Salt): as per taste
9. karibEvina soppu (Curry Leaves): a handful or lesser
10.oNagida meNasina kaayi (Red Chilli): 2-3
11.meNasina pudi (Red Chilli Powder): 1 tablespoon or as per taste.
12.eNNe (Any Oil): 3-4 table spoons
13.arishina (Turmeric Powder): 1 teaspoon
14.neeru (water): 2 small glasses

How to Prepare:
1.Coarsely grind the puffed rice in a mixer.
2.Heat the oil in a pan and fry the mustard until it sputters.
2. Add the black gram, Bengal gram, curry leaves, red Chillies and the grated coconut and fry them for about 1 or 2 minutes.
3. Turn the stove off and add water to the same pan.
4. Add turmeric powder, salt, brown sugar, tamarind and red Chilli powder and mix them well.
5. Add the puffed rice and mix everything well.
6. Keep this aside for about 10 minutes till all the water is absorbed by the puffed rice and it becomes a little dry.
7. It is now ready to eat.

If it is watery even after you soak it for a while, grind a little more puffed rice and put it into the water. If you feel that it has become very dry, then you can just sprinkle a little water. You will learn exactly how much water you will need only by trial and error :).

The good part is, once you learn to do it right , you have a really tasty and yummy snack that can be prepared in a jiffy :).

Servings: 2 Servings.

PS1: The names of ingredients are how they are called in Kannada, my mother tongue. Their English equivalents are given in brackets.

PS2: The recipes that I am posting are those that I have tried personally and have turned out well. They are recipes that I am collecting from my mother, mother-in-law, aunts, uncles, friends, cousins and my husband.

PS3: I think I have covered whatever needs to be covered. Please let me know if you would like to see any changes in the way the recipes are presented.

PS4: Enjoy your cooking. I definitely am enjoying it immensely!