• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Cookilicious logo

  • About
  • Recipes
  • Podcast
  • Collaborate
  • Shop
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Collaborate
  • Podcast
  • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » South Indian » Puli Aval Upma | Tamarind Poha Recipe

    Published: May 20, 2021 · Modified: May 20, 2021 by Priya * This post may contain affiliate links.

    Puli Aval Upma | Tamarind Poha Recipe

    Recipe Print
    puli aval served in 2 round plates and text at the bottom
    2 plates of puli aval served in a tray and text at the top
    a set of hands holding a plate of tamarind poha and text at the top

    Learn how to make Puli Aval which is a popular South Indian breakfast recipe made with flattened rice or poha and tamarind. It's vegan, healthy, and can be made in 15 minutes.

    a set of hands holding a plate of tamarind poha

    Hot breakfasts are good for us!

    Table of Contents

    • What to make for breakfast?
    • Trending now
    • Why is breakfast good for us?
    • My favorite breakfast recipes
    • Why make this?
    • Ingredients needed
    • Here's how to make it
    • Serving suggestions
    • Top tips, recommendations, and suggestions
    • Recipes with Tamarind
    • Puli Aval Upma | Tamarind Poha

    What to make for breakfast?

    We all struggle with this question every once in a while! The family is bored of eating the same old and breakfast every other day.

    There is no time to cook an elaborate meal on busy mornings. One has not really experimented with other snack options and is still making the same old recipes.

    Trending now

    But all said and done, skipping the first meal of the day is not a good idea. However, I would choose to skip breakfast rather than eating unhealthy breakfast foods. 

    Having a nutritious, well-balanced breakfast can give you energy, keep you satiated and prevent you from overeating during the day.

    puli aval served in 2 round plates

    So delicious!

    Why is breakfast good for us?

    Starting off the day with a full, nutrient-dense meal also allows you to keep making better choices throughout the day, including zapping those late-night snack cravings.

    Here are few TIPS that I follow when it comes to eating right.

    • Breakfast should contain at least 300-350 calories, and we should be chewing, not drinking, our morning meal.
    • Include fresh produce in the meal. More produce equals more fiber, which can help us stay fuller, longer.
    • Steer clear of sugary beverages like tea or coffee. If making a smoothie, try to not use honey or maple syrup. Add fruits that are naturally sweet.
    • Try to also incorporate some kind of protein in the meal.
    • And yes, please avoid processed foods at all costs. 

    My favorite breakfast recipes

    • Teff Idli
    • Lentil Pancakes with Leftover Dal
    • Vegan Chettinad Corn Dhokla | Steamed Corn Cakes
    • Spicy Quinoa & Red Pumpkin Adai | Lentil Dosa

    Why make this?

    Today's recipe is a traditional South Indian breakfast or snack recipe made with Poha or flattened rice. I have learned this recipe from my mom.

    South Indian Puli Aval is flavored with tamarind making it unique and different in comparison to the Maharashtrian Kanda Poha. 

    This no-onion, no-garlic snack is so easy to make and nourishing to taste, that it is a great vegan breakfast option! 

    Also, flattened rice or beaten rice is easy to digest. Hence it's used in many breakfast and snack recipes. Plus, this snack is also healthy made with less oil. 

    It uses basic Indian pantry ingredients plus it literally can be made in 15 minutes!

    Ingredients needed

    all the ingredients needed to make puli aval placed on a tray with labels on them

    That's all you need!

    Poha - It's also known as flattened/beaten rice. There are two kinds of Poha – thick and thin. The kind you buy depends on the recipe you want to make. 

    While most Indian grocery stores like Patel Brothers carry Poha, it is also easily available on Amazon. 

    There is another variety of Poha called the Red Rice Poha which can be substituted in any recipe. If using that, then the soaking time will increase. Also, soak it in some water so that it softens well.

    Tamarind - I prefer to use tamarind pulp or paste. Just dilute it a little and use it. You can also use regular tamarind. Soak a lemon-sized ball in warm water for 10 minutes. 

    Then squeeze out the juice from it and use that juice in this recipe. You can discard the squeezed-out pulp. 

    Spices - curry leaves, turmeric powder, mustard seeds, and dried red chillies.

    Nuts and lentils - roasted peanuts, urad dal, and chana dal are needed for this Indian breakfast recipe.

    Here's how to make it

    3 image collage showing how to make tamarind poha

    It can be made in just 15 minutes!

    Soak chana dal in a bowl of water for 5 minutes.

    1. Wash the thick Poha/flattened rice let it rest in a strainer.
    2. Add turmeric powder and tamarind paste over it. Lightly mix it with the Poha so that the tamarind coats well with it. Keep it aside for now. 
    3. Heat oil in a pan. Once it's hot, temper mustard seeds, and once it begins to crackle, add urad dal, chana dal, curry leaves, dried red chillies, and peanuts.
    4. Saute 4-5 minutes and then add the soaked flattened rice along with salt. Give it a good mix and take it off the flame in 1-2 minutes. Puli Aval is ready. Simple and tasty!

    Serving suggestions

    Enjoy this dish as an evening snack or for breakfast. It has a nice spicy and tangy taste plus it's super easy and quick to make.

    You can serve it with Chai or Coffee (maybe even Dalgona Coffee) along with some homemade Banana chips on the side. I like to enjoy this with a glass of Rose Lemonade too! 

    2 plates of puli aval served in a tray

    Quick and easy breakfast recipe!

    Top tips, recommendations, and suggestions

    Use thick Poha in this recipe. Do not soak the Poha in water. Always just rinse it under running water for 30 seconds and keep it aside. This will ensure that the Poha doesn’t become lumpy. It should hold its shape.

    Soaking chana dal in water will make it softer and easy to chew. Tamarind gives it a tangy flavor. Substitute it with lemon juice if tamarind not available. However, it would not taste the same. 

    To make tamarind paste at home, soak a lemon-sized ball of tamarind in warm water for 10 mins. Squeeze to extract the juice and use. 

    Cooking in mustard oil gives it an authentic South Indian flavor. However, you can use Avocado or Olive oil as well. You don’t need to cook Poha for long. 1-2 minutes is enough.

    For a different flavor, add a tablespoon of sambhar powder or rasam powder as well. In place of peanuts, you can also add chopped almonds or cashews. 

    While this traditional Indian breakfast recipe doesn't call for any veggies, you can add onions, carrots, or peas to make it more wholesome. This snack stays well in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can easily make it in advance and store it in the fridge. 

    Recipes with Tamarind

    • Tamarind Rasam
    • Arachuvitta Sambhar
    • Chettinad Black Eyed Peas Curry

    If you want to try some more dishes with poha, check out these recipes - Cilantro Poha and Aval Kesari. 

    a hand digging into a plate of puli aval with a spoon in hand

    Wholesome and healthy!

    If you’ve tried this Puli Aval Upma | Tamarind Poha recipe or any other recipe on the blog please let me know how it went by commenting below, I love hearing from you!

    You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to see more delicious vegetarian and vegan recipes and what I’m getting up to.

    a set of hands holding a plate of tamarind poha

    Puli Aval Upma | Tamarind Poha

    Learn how to make Puli Aval which is a popular South Indian breakfast recipe made with flattened rice or poha and tamarind. It's vegan, healthy, and can be made in 15 minutes.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast, Snack
    Cuisine: Indian, South Indian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 489.09kcal
    Author: Priya Lakshminarayan

    Equipment

    pan

    Ingredients 

    • 2 tbsp chana dal
    • 2 cups poha Thick
    • 1 tsp turmeric powder
    • 3 tbsp tamarind paste
    • 1 tbsp oil
    • 2 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1 tbsp urad dal
    • 5-6 curry leaves
    • 3 dried red chillies
    • 3 tbsp peanuts
    • salt as required

    Instructions

    • Soak chana dal in a bowl of water for 5 minutes.
    • Wash the thick Poha/flattened rice let it rest in a strainer.
    • Add turmeric powder and tamarind paste over it. Lightly mix it with the Poha so that the tamarind coats well with it. Keep it aside for now.
    • Heat oil in a pan. Once it's hot, temper mustard seeds, and once it begins to crackle, add urad dal, soaked chana dal, curry leaves, dried red chillies, and peanuts.
    • Saute 4-5 minutes and then add the soaked flattened rice along with salt. Give it a good mix and take it off the flame in 1-2 minutes.

    Notes

    Use thick Poha in this recipe. Do not soak the Poha in water. Always just rinse it under running water for 30 seconds and keep it aside. This will ensure that the Poha doesn’t become lumpy. It should hold its shape.
    Soaking chana dal in water will make it softer and easy to chew. Tamarind gives it a tangy flavor. Substitute it with lemon juice if tamarind not available. However, it would not taste the same. 
    To make tamarind paste at home, soak a lemon-sized ball of tamarind in warm water for 10 mins. Squeeze to extract the juice and use. 
    Cooking in mustard oil gives it an authentic South Indian flavor. However, you can use Avocado or Olive oil as well. You don’t need to cook Poha for long. 1-2 minutes is enough.
    For a different flavor, add a tablespoon of sambhar powder or rasam powder as well. In place of peanuts, you can also add chopped almonds or cashews. 
    While this traditional Indian breakfast recipe doesn't call for any veggies, you can add onions, carrots, or peas to make it more wholesome. This snack stays well in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can easily make it in advance and store it in the fridge. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 489.09kcal | Carbohydrates: 90.58g | Protein: 11.52g | Fat: 8.82g | Saturated Fat: 1.08g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 10.61mg | Potassium: 269.5mg | Fiber: 5.65g | Sugar: 7.45g | Vitamin A: 150.83IU | Vitamin C: 25.94mg | Calcium: 69.39mg | Iron: 2.36mg
    Tried this Recipe? Share your creation by tagging me on Instagram @Cookilicious using #cookiliciousveg!
    Love watching recipe videos?Subscribe to my Cookilicious YouTube channel now to get your weekly recipe fix - Youtube

    Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. For more information on my Affiliate and Advertising Policy, please click here.

    « Rose Lemonade | Orange Lemon Sherbet
    Dairy Free Ghee Recipe »
    246 shares
    GIFT FOR YOU

    Free Vegan Beginner's Guide

    Tips, recipes & secrets to transform your lifestyle.

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Rate the Recipe




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    ABOUT ME

    Every recipe here tells a story that is simple, easy to follow and has a tasty soul. Come join me in my kitchen and let me take you on a gastronomical journey. Vegetarian & vegan cooking is so much fun! Read more...

    Follow Me

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    GIFT FOR YOU

    Free Vegan Beginner's Guide

    Tips, recipes & secrets to transform your lifestyle.

    SEARCH A RECIPE OR INGREDIENT

    Featured On

    Get my Cookbook

    We are on YouTube!

    New Year New You

    one big bowl of Vegan Teff Kheer Porridge with a small bowl of the same on the side

    Vegan Teff Kheer Porridge

    Instant Pot Masala Khichdi served in a platter

    Instant Pot Masala Khichdi

    a set of hands tossing Cherub Tomatoes Crouton Salad

    Cherub Tomatoes Crouton Salad

    Instant Pot Ven Pongal served in a leaf bowl with a wooden spoon in it

    Ven Pongal in Instant Pot

    2 Masala Dosa with Sweet Potato placed on a plate

    Masala Dosa with Sweet Potato

    3 bowls of Crunchy Moong Dal

    Moong Dal Namkeen

    TRENDING NOW

    3 Vegan Corn Tostadas served on a wooden platter

    Vegan Corn Tostadas

    a bowl filled with Veg Hakka Noodles and a fork in it

    Veg Hakka Noodles

    image of one forth platter of White Chocolate Thandai Bark served in a platter

    White Chocolate Thandai Bark Recipe

    3 glasses of Thandai Milkshake served next to a bowl of colors and rose buds

    Thandai Milkshake | Dry Fruit Milkshake

    a hand brushing Tomato Cheddar Scones with butter

    Tomato Cheddar Scones

    Dal Tadka served in a brass bucket with a spoon in it

    Dal Tadka in Instant Pot

    Footer

    Stay connected

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • About Priya

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up!

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work With Me

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2020 Cookilicious

    246 shares