One Indian ingredient that you don't see much outside of homes (or
India) is "poha", or "aval" in Tamil, or rice flakes. It's made by
parcooking and flattening rice, so it's similar to rolled oats, or
wheat/rye flakes. However, since it's usually husked/polished (and,
for that matter, parcooked) first, it "cooks" extremely quickly. In
fact, rinsing and draining it often hydrates it enough to make it soft
enough to eat (after standing briefly -- between 5 minutes and half an
hour, depending on how thickly it has been rolled).

You can use it much like rice, but it's very amenable to being
flavored, as I did tonight with tamarind and spices:

1 cup thin poha

1/2 tsp tamarind concentrate
ground red chili to taste
salt to taste
1-2 Tbsp hot water

oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp urad dal
pinch of hing
pinch of turmeric

Rinse and drain the poha.

Mix the tamarind concentrate, salt and red chili in the hot water.
Stir well till the tamarind is dissolved.

Add the tamarind liquid to the poha, and mix well till it's fairly
evenly distributed.

Heat the oil, add the mustard seeds, cumin and urad dal. When the
seeds begin to pop, add the hing and turmeric.

Add the poha, and quickly mix well to distribute the seasoned oil
through the poha. Stir gently till the poha is warmed through.


Frying some onions before adding the poha to the oil would probably be
nice, as would green chilies or raisins.


N.