Thindi: Huli/tamerind Avalakki

Huli/tamarind Avalakki:

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups of thick avalakki(aval, poha)
• 1 cup tamarind mixture ( as per taste)
• 1 tsp of salt 

Tamarind mixture:

• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon tamarind paste
• 1/2" square blob of jaggery or 1 tbs brown sugar
• 1 tsp rasam powder

Break up the jaggery into tiny pieces. Thoroughly mix the tamarind paste, jagerry, rasam powder to make the tamarind mixture.
P.S. Instead of using the tamarind paste, you can soak 1" ball of natural tamarind in warm water for 10 minutes. Squeeze thoroughly and throw out the rind. To this add the jagerry, rasam powder to make the tamarind mixture.

Garnish:

• 1 tsp of channa dhal
• 1 tsp of urad dhal
• 1/4 cup of peanuts
• 1/4 cup cashews (godambi)
• 5 or 6 curry leaves
• 2 or 3 red dry chillies (loosely broken into pieces)
• 1 pinch of hingh
• 1/4 tsp of turmeric
• 1/4 cup of oil
• 1 tsp of mustard seeds
• 1/4 cup dessicated grated  coconut

 Method:

Run the avalakki through the food processor a couple times to break up the avalakki a little..  Using a large bowl toss the avalakki, salt and the tamarind mixture together. Once the avalakki has softened, heat oil in a pan on medium high and splatter the mustard seeds. Add the channa dhal, urad dhal, peanuts, cashews, red chillies, hingh and turmeric. Using a long spoon stir the contents till all the dhals, cashews and peanuts are browned. Add red chillies, curry leaves to the pan and twirl it around for a couple minutes.  Then add the softened avalakki to the pan. Mix and flip and continue to cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat till everything is piping hot. Remove pan from heat and add the desiccated grated coconut to the cooked avalakki and mix it in.

Cooking tips:

Vary salt and tamarind mixture per your taste. If the avalakki feels too dry sprinkle additional water to soften. After browning the dhals etc, thinly sliced or finely diced onions, green chillies, bell peppers etc can be sauteed in the same pan and incorporated into the dish.

Serving tips:

Serve tamarind-avalakki hot or cold. Serve with thick plain yogurt on the side.