Gojjavalakki
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Gojjavalakki is beaten rice which is soaked in tamarind pulp and spiced with rasam powder. It is sweet, tangy, spicy and crunchy at the same time.
Ingredients
- Beaten rice or Poha- 1-1/2 cups (360 ml)
- Ghee- 1 tsp
- Tamarind- 1 lime sized, soaked in water for 15min
- Jaggery- 1 small lime sized
- Salt- to taste
- Oil- 2tbsp (30 ml)
- Mustard- 1tsp
- Peanuts- a handful
- curry leaves- 8-10
- hing- a pinch
- Rasam powder- 1tbsp (15 ml), store brought or home made
- Black sesame seeds- 1tsp
- Grated dry coconut- 3 tbsp (45 ml)
Instructions
- Heat ghee in a thick bottomed pan and roast the Poha till crisp and set aside to cool.
- Pulse the poha in a blender for 5-6 times or till the Poha is coarsely powdered.
- Transfer the poha to a sieve and wash under running water for a couple of times and keep aside.
- Roast the sesame seeds and the dry coconut separately and allow them to cool.
- Mix the sesame seeds and coconut together and grind to a fine powder and keep aside.
- Extract the tamarind pulp from the soaked tamarind and add to the soaked poha. Add the salt and jaggery and mix well.
- Heat oil in a wok and add the mustard seeds. Once they crackle, add the peanuts and fry till they turn brown.
- Add the curry leaves and hing and fry for a minute more.
- Stir in the poha-tamarind mixture and rasam powder, mix well and allow the mixture to simmer for 2min
- Add the sesame-coconut powder and mix well. Adjust the seasoning and serve hot.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Snack
- Cuisine: South Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 230
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the poha (beaten rice) roasted, powdered, and then washed before using?
The recipe first roasts 1½ cups of poha in ghee until crisp, then coarsely pulses it in a blender 5–6 times. That coarse powder is washed under running water to remove excess starch and allow it to absorb the tamarind-jaggery mixture evenly — soaking the poha directly without this step would give a mushy rather than pleasantly tender result.
What is rasam powder and where can I find it?
Rasam powder is a South Indian spice blend used in soups and rice dishes; the recipe calls for 1 tbsp and notes you can use either store-bought or homemade. It is available at Indian grocery stores and online, and is central to giving this dish its characteristic tangy-spicy flavor.
When should I add jaggery, and how much?
The recipe adds a lime-sized piece of jaggery to the soaked poha along with the tamarind pulp and salt, mixing well. The jaggery balances the tamarind’s sourness — the title calls the dish sweet, tangy, and spicy. Adjust the amount to taste depending on how sour your tamarind is. 
