Lemon aval / lemon aval upma is a super quick breakfast idea that you can make under 15 mins. Perfect for bachelors and quick fix for hurry burry mornings - step by step photos.

Great for breakfast, snack or even lunch box. You can make it anytime you feel you need a quick fix meal.
Check out my lemon oats and lemon couscous recipe in this website.
I have endless 😍 love towards tangy items made with tamarind or lemon, such as lemon rice, tamarind rice etc.
Likewise, lemon aval is on top of this list. Moreover, this can be made with less effort, no cutting process. Bachelors can adopt the recipe easily and try as well as quick fix for your hunger pangs.
Aval varieties
- Thick aval - Looks slightly stout but I love to use thick aval in all my recipes as my mom used to make with it. For that reason, gives fluffy, full volume to the dish. Therefore, takes some time to get soaked.
- Medium aval - This looks more similar to the thick aval but it's actually is like that of thin ones. So I prefer to just wash and keep aside mixed with salt and other items, no extra water (hot/ warm) for soaking.
- Thin aval - Looks flat, broad and thin, so instantly fluffs up once you wash. So cook as soon as you wash. I have used only red rice aval when it comes to thin aval, but it was quite okay. In contrary, I thought thin aval will become mushy.
So in conclusion, which ever type of aval you use, just the method differs. Which is soaking part. If you choose thin aval and soak in warm water for 10 mins, then probably you will end up in mushy looking aval.
Why I love this?
Because it's super quick and easy to adapt. What I do is I just follow the trick of adding salt, lemon, turmeric, asafoetida and curry leaves while soaking itself. Which is, mix and keep everything so that all you need to do is do tempering and cook the aval.
This means also the lemon absorbs all those ingredients well and becomes packed with flavors.
One secret while preparing lemon aval is, always top it with sesame oil to avoid dry aval. This is very crucial for best tasting lemon aval. It's so very south Indian touch.
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Recipe card
Lemon aval / lemon aval upma
Ingredients
- 1 cup Aval poha, thick variety
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice from 1 Indian lemon
- Salt
- ⅛ teaspoon Turmeric
- 1 tablespoon Sesame oil
- ⅛ teaspoon Asafoetida
To temper
- 1 tablespoon Sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon Urad dal
- 1 teaspoon Chana dal
- 3 Red chillies/ green chillies
- Curry leaves - A sprig
- ⅛ teaspoon Asafoetida
Instructions
- Wash the aval and soak in warm water (gets ready quickly) or ordinary water. The water level should be just enough to immerse (say ½ cup to ¾ cup approx.), so don’t add more than that.
- Mix salt, lemon juice, little turmeric and asafoetida in this water itself and mix it, so that the aval absorbs everything.
- After 10-15 mins, the aval should have absorbed all the water.
- Now heat a pan with oil and temper with the tempering items given in the table ‘To Temper’, in order.
- Add the aval and give it a stir to mix well.
- Just reduce the flame to low and cook covered for 6-8 mins.
Video
Notes
- If you are concerned about the vitamins in the lemon, add lemon juice after the poha gets cooked. before removing from fire).
- According to aval variety, the soaking part differs. If you use medium aval or thin aval, do not add extra water for soaking. Just wash and mix the other things and keep aside.
- Mixing ingredients while soaking itself makes it blend evenly with the aval.
How to make lemon aval method:
- Wash the aval and soak in warm water (gets ready quickly) or ordinary water. The water level should be just enough to immerse, so don’t add more than that.
- Mix salt, lemon juice, turmeric and asafoetida in this water itself and mix it, so that the aval absorbs everything. Keep covered aside. After 10-15 mins, the aval should have absorbed all the water.
- Now heat a pan with oil and temper with the tempering items given in the table ‘To Temper’, in order.
- Add the aval and give it a stir to mix well.
- Just reduce the flame to low and cook covered for 6-8 mins.
Notes
- If you are concerned about the vitamins in the lemon,add lemon juice after the poha gets cooked (before removing from fire)
Add the sesame oil at end and enjoy your lemon aval!
Sunanda
recipe is new to me..It looks delicious.. will make for a nice homemade breakfast!
Sharmilee! :)
This is a nice twist to the normal aval upma...luv the last click very much....
Priya Sreeram
simple n delightful !
Gayathri Kumar
Very yummy lime poha..
Rekha shoban
interesting raji...never tried...thanks for sharing!
Shama Nagarajan
delicious poha..i love this...
Chitra
I make this atleast once in a week. Thought of posting also 😉
Priti
Gud one dear...shall try it
Happy Cook
Beautiful color and looks delish
Santosh Bangar
yummy poha
Tina
Simple n easy breakfast item...yummyyyyyy...
Shanthi
So simple dish... But eppadithaan indha madhiri photo edukareengalO? Super.
GEETHA ACHAL
My favorite...Me too used it often...Thanks for sharing...
Kanchan
Nice .. quite new form of Poha .. will try soon
Cool Lassi(e)
Looks fantastic! My mom makes it with peanuts and such. Hey, the cup is from Ikea, right? I have it in 4 colors and seriously I didn't have a clue to what to do with it..Now I think I can use it for serving rice and such. 🙂
Suja Sugathan
Tangy and yummy,healthy breakfast...looks so inviting.
Vimitha Anand
Anything with flattened rice flakes is easy to make and healty
sowmya's creative saga
good one..will make this for breakfast tomorrow..
Nags
you wouldn't believe it, poha has been on my mind for a while now!
Pavithra
Looks absolutely yumm 🙂 My fav and I too make often. Pictures are beautiful as always Raji.
Shanavi
Simple and delicious..Mouthwatering !!
Kairali sisters
Poha is one of our fav breakfasts, i make it all the time without lemon though, shall try u r version soon, Loved all the clicks and it speaks for the taste 🙂
Smitha
I just made it y'day...its one of my fav....ur pics are tempting me again! cant get enough of it!
Smitha
http://smithasspicyflavors.blogspot.com
Kalpana Sareesh
delicious n healthy one..
Cilantro
I like them too Raks, I usually add the juice at the end.
My daughter loves the sweet one.
Jayasri Ravi
I too make this often, I add the juice in the end :), love lemon, we call it Avalakki Chitranna in Bangalore!, I too love all tangy varities, As always beautiful click
Paaka Shaale
The poha looks delicious and simple. Loved the clicks as well 🙂
Krithi's Kitchen
Lemon poha is an all time fav... yours looks so inviting...
http://krithiskitchen.blogspot.com
Torviewtoronto
this looks delicious lovely presentation
Priya
Love this lemon poha, soo inviting..
Sushma Mallya
Lovely Click Raks ...just One word looks delicious:)
Kay
Looks great! Adding lemon to water while soaking is new to me. Good job Raks:)
Swathi
Lemon poha looks delicious. nice easy breakfast.
VineelaSiva
Yummy poha very handful tiffin.When we came from any place with in minutes we can prepare this tiffin.
Gulmohar
Simply delicious..I love to have this as a tea time snack 🙂
Priya (Yallapantula) Mitharwal
wow, what a beautiful color and presentation.
rekhas kitchen
Beautiful color Raji and very comfort break fast looks yummm.
aipi
U r making me drool here..loooooove poha in any way or form :))
US Masala
savitha ramesh
its sure a feast fo eyes.love ur lemon aval
SpicyTasty
Lovely pictures. Sure must try.
Akila
i love the lemon aval...
Cham
Karnataka special, i learnt this one after marriage. Looks good and bright!
swapna
Love the lemony poha....yummy!!
Radhika
yummy breakfast recipe. will try it out.
Aruna Manikandan
looks simple and delicious dear.....
Premalatha Aravindhan
Delicious Poha,Luks inviting...Nice clicks!
Sowmya
Quick, healthy and yummy!
Vegetarian Cultural Creatives
kothiyavunu.com
Excellent!! very inviting and great clicks!
jeyashrisuresh
Extremely simple and yummy one with well explained stepwise pictures.
அப்பாதுரை
the pictures and your step-by-step guide in themselves are worth visiting your site over and over and over. i have tried a few of your recipes, but mostly read them. very satisfying. thank you so much for staying committed to this blog and sharing your culinary prowess.
Prathibha
This is a very easy peasy brkfast and I make it with the addition of onions,rest all same...looks yumm wid d smoothie..hearty brkfast
Divya Kudua
Sounds like a quick breakfast!!
Priya's Feast
Luv the true color of lemon... Happy valentine's day 🙂
Laavanya
I'm a fan of all things tangy too 🙂 What a delicious breakfast that is.
Sarah Naveen
i need to try this..
looks so delicious..
மகி
Raji,to be frank,am not a big fan of Aval!
Recipe looks colourful & yummy though! 🙂
Padma
Love this lemon poha.... perfect for breakfast.... looks mouthwatering.
Megha
🙂 My sister used to make it so well Raji.. :p you won't believe. I haven't had it now from a long time. But I can share one thing with you, try this recipe.. you can start it by adding small chopped/diced potatoes(deep fried) and added later on to the poha.. and Add (Haldiram's Aloo Bhujhia) .. while serving.. on top of the Poha. Oh man!!.. it is yummmnn and crunchy! 🙂
P.S. I hope you will like it.. 😉 my way..! 😀
Athma
Raks plz invite me to ur home for breakfast/ lunch / dinner... awesome recepies yarr....
ganesh prabhu mariappan
good to taste..thank you
Renuka Ambbarees
Prepared. ..taste is awesome. .like to eat
Sabari Babu
Hey Rajeswari, You are rocking with your recipes. I found your page last month and since then I am sticking with your recipes. All the tastes that I tried from your page are all tastes fantastic. Good collections and variations to the same boring dishes.