Aval (puffed/flattened rice) Upma

Ingredients
Aval (Poha or puffed/flattened rice)* - 2 cups
Onion, sliced or chopped - 1 nos.
Jeera (cumin seeds) and rai (mustard seeds) - 2 tsp ea.
Oil - 1 tbsp
Red chillies - 2-3 nos.
Salt - to taste
Lemon juice - to taste
Optional
Cashews - a few pieces

*available at Indian grocery stores

Cooking time: 15 min (5 min prep, 10 min cook)
Servings: 2-3

Method:
Soak the aval in water for 4-5 minutes (do not oversoak). Gently squeeze out the excess water to drain. Reserve. In a vessel, heat oil and add jeera and rai. When the rai starts to sputter, add the red chillies and onions. Stir well and slowly add the drained aval. Mix in the turmeric and salt. Cook 5-6 minutes on medium flame. Add lemon juice to taste. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Note: If adding cashews, they go in after the rai sputters.

Author: Sundar
Author's comments:
Upma is part of a light and fast South Indian breakfast or mid-afternoon snack. The poster-child is made from rava (semolina, cream of wheat), but my mom also makes two other varieties - idli upma made from leftover idlis (steamed rice cakes) or aval upma. Aval upma is a tangy dish when lemon juice is added, and it can be made crunchy by sputtering chana (Bengal gram) dal with rai and jeera, or by adding cashews.