How to make authentic Kerala Aval Vilayichathu (sweetened beaten rice flakes)

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.