Aralittu or jowar popcorn flour is a popular snack in Hubli-Dharwad region light on the stomach yet filling it is enjoyed by all even toddlers, adults and the aged.
Jowar Flour Popcorn Flour
Dharwad, my hometown is a district headquarters of Dharwad District we have a lot of heritage buildings. Recently there was a heritage walk organised and how I wished I could attend it. Like all towns, Dharwad has changed quite a bit from what I knew it to be. However, a few of the pictures are what I recollect and these pictures are taken by Shreyank Hiremath my friend Sanjeev’s son. Thanks a lot, Shreyank.
Coming to snacks that is enjoyed in Dharwad one of them is Aralittu, upit, hachid avalakki.
We Dharwadians will never say no to mirchi bhaji, kanda bhaji, chakali, kadboli and of course dharwad peda. All in all we enjoy food weather lunch or dinner or snack we live to eat!
Aralittu is made from a special kind of jowar; yes your sorghum called aralu jowar. This flour is now available all year round but in the past used to be available in the stores around Nag Panchami.
The aralu jwala as it is called in Dharwad need to be boiled then dried thoroughly before popping the seeds. A long and time consuming process, I tried once and got bored and threw out all the seeds and so now I buy the ready flour.
Panchmi Habba as Nag Panchmi festival is called is a very important festival in Karnataka. The one thing Amma always wanted was aralittu. Don’t blame her that was the time when the aralittu was available only then.
The making of a snack with aralittu is simple you can make it either sweet or savoury. But the mixture is like sand and water keeps absorbing a lot of liquid so whatever you use to add a little less of the flour and serve immediately.
To make the sweet version you heat milk and add a big dollop of ghee, add enough jaggery/sugar and stir till the jaggery melts. Then add aralittu mix well and serve immediately.
In my place as sweet is not appreciated I make the savoury version called Upminsinkai Aralittu. Lets us get down to making Upminsinkai Aralittu and enjoy our Elevenses.
Upminsinkai Aralittu
- Serves: 2 people
- Preparation time: 5 minutes
- Cook time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2-3 upinmensinkai or chillies stuffed and dried
- 2 tablespoon oil
- ¼ tsp mustard
- A pinch of hing
- 2 green chillies chopped
- 1 cup curds
- 1 cup water + a little more
- 1-¼ cup Aralittu about
- Salt to taste
Method:
- Beat the curds with water. The curds must be smooth and there should be no lumps.
- Break the upimensikai in smaller bits. You can use the full chilli too but then the oil needed to deep fry them is too much.
- In a small kadhai/wok heat the oil.
- Once the oil is hot fry the chillies till crisp on both sides.
- Strain and set aside.
- In the hot oil add the mustard seeds and let then splutter. Add the hing and switch off the gas.
- Add to the beaten curds.
- Add salt to taste stir well.
- Now add the green chillies and the aralittu. Remember you can always increase the amount of flour. The flour absorbs a lot of liquids.
- Adjust the seasonings, adjust the consistency of the flour.
- Add the fried chillies, add coriander leaves. I have added some pumpkin seeds and sunflower seed and some red chilli powder too.
- Enjoy with a beverage of your choice. Here I have served it with watermelon juice.
Jowar Flour Popcorn Flour
Upminsinkai Aralittu|Salted Chilli in Jowar Popcorn Flour
Ingredients
- 2-3 upinmensinkai or chillies stuffed and dried
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- ¼ teaspoon Mustard
- A pinch of hing
- 2 Green chillies chopped
- 1 cup curds
- 1 cup water + a little more
- 1- ¼ cup Aralittu
- Salt to Taste
Instructions
- Beat the curds with water. The curds must be smooth and there should be no lumps.
- Break the upimensikai in smaller bits. You can use the full chilli too but then the oil needed to deep fry them is too much.
- In a small kadhai/wok heat the oil.
- Once the oil is hot fry the chillies till crisp on both sides.
- Strain and set aside.
- In the hot oil add the mustard seeds and let then splutter. Add the hing and switch off the gas.
- Add to the beaten curds.
- Add salt to taste stir well.
- Now add the green chillies and the aralittu. Remember you can always increase the amount of flour. The flour absorbs a lot of liquids.
- Adjust the seasonings, adjust the consistency of the flour.
- Add the fried chillies, add coriander leaves. I have added some pumpkin seeds and sunflower seed and some red chilli powder too.
- Enjoy with a beverage of your choice. Here I have served it with watermelon juice.
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Vaishali Sabnani says
That’s a new recipe for me ! Never heard of this kind of dish made with jowar , it sounds interesting and your innovation with seeds is fantastic .
Nice pics of Dharwad , would love to visit this traditional city and enjoy the traditional meal there .
ArchanaPotdar says
You will love Dharwad not much to do but a relaxed lazy weekend is good. Thanks.
Varada says
Very interesting recipe and very new to me. The process to make the flour is really long. I am glad it is available in the stores now. Very nicely presented.
ArchanaPotdar says
Thanks, Varada.
Priya Suresh says
Quite a unique dish for me, wonderful to read the intro and never knew that aralittu exists. Thanks for sharing this recipe. Delicious dish there.
ArchanaPotdar says
Thanks, Priya.
Gayathri Kumar says
Never heard of this flour before, but after reading the recipe, I am drooling. That dry chilies fried must give this an amazing taste. Yum.
ArchanaPotdar says
Thanks, Gayatri.
Swati says
Archna,Very interesting and a new dish for me.looks so inviting with curd and pumpkin seeds.. loved your clicks of Dharwad.
ArchanaPotdar says
Thanks, Swati.
harini says
What a unique dish, Archana. I am glad you documented this traditional dish. I am sure we can use powdered jowar dhani (popped jowar) which we get here.
ArchanaPotdar says
Yes, Harini you can use it.
Suma Gandlur says
It is sad that we keep drifting away from healthy and traditional dishes like this. Learnt today that popped jowar flour could be used this way.
ArchanaPotdar says
😀
Srivalli Jetti says
Excellent one Arch, the dish looks so inviting with all that topping...lovely pictures of the city! I have once previously tried the popping and using the jowar seeds, though as you say it is tiring to make ourselves!
ArchanaPotdar says
😀
Srividhya Gopalakrishnan says
Unique recipe and loved reading about Dharwad.
ArchanaPotdar says
Thanks.
Chef Mireille says
I loved reading this about your personal connection to the place of origin of this recipe. I would probably prefer the sweet version but definitely would be willing to try either!
ArchanaPotdar says
I wold have preferred the sweet version at one time too Mir. Guess I have become used to savoury foods. 😀
Come over and we can try both.
ArchanaPotdar says
I would have preferred the sweet version at one time too Mir. Guess I have become used to savoury foods. 😀
Come over and we can try both.