How to make authentic Kerala Aval Vilayichathu (sweetened beaten rice flakes)
This spiced jaggery dish is less a dessert and more a favourite tea time snack in Kerala
Ingredients
600gm jaggery
300ml water
15 cardamom pods
One small piece of nutmeg
A small piece of dry ginger (7 to 8gm)
4 tbsp ghee
80gm roasted gram dal (pottu kadala)
40gm sesame seeds
50gm cashew
80gm chopped coconut
2 sprigs curry leaves
600gm grated coconut
400gm beaten rice flakes, brown (aval)
1/4 tsp salt
Method
Step 1
Melt jaggery in 300ml of water by heating over a low flame, then strain it to remove impurities if any.
Step 2
Use a blender to powder cardamom, nutmeg and ginger together and set aside.
Step 3
Take a thick-bottomed pan and heat it. Add 3 tablespoon of ghee. When it is hot, roast gram dal, sesame, cashew and coconut, and set aside. Turn off the flame, add curry leaves and fry for a few seconds.
Step 4
Heat the pan again and add the grated coconut. Continue to stir for about 2 to 3 minutes till the water is absorbed from the coconut.
Step 5
Add the strained jaggery syrup to the coconut and continue to stir over low flame until the syrup reaches a one-thread consistency, then turn off the flame.
Step 6
Pour the remaining one tbsp of ghee and mix well.
Step 7
Add the fried ingredients from step 3 and mix well.
Step 8
Add the spices from step 2 into the jaggery coconut mix and stir well.
Step 9
Add the beaten rice flakes into the jaggery-coconut mix and stir well until the beaten rice gets coated with jaggery and coconut.
Step 10
Delicious Aval Vilayichathu is ready. You can eat as it is or with banana.