Aval Vilayichathu (Sweetened Beaten Rice Flakes / Poha with Jaggery)

         " Aval Vilayichathu " - a traditional , healthy , nutritious and  authentic sweet snack of Kerala .  Beaten/Flattened red rice flakes are  cooked in jaggery syrup with lots of freshly grated coconut , ghee and a bit of spices like cardamom, dry ginger and roasted cumin powder,  which  gives this snack its authentic flavors. A most popular snack of common man in Kerala, that can be prepared ahead of time  and stored for weeks in an airtight container without going rancid , if prepared in the right way.  This  delicious snack can be eaten alone or in combination with ripe banana/plantain. I am sure I don't want to explain about this to any Malayali because they might have enjoyed this many times during their tea time. But for those who don't know, I am sharing this recipe.....!!!

Ingredients

• Red Aval (Beaten Rice Flakes / poha) - 2.5 cups
• Grated coconut - 1 cup
• Ghee - 4 tbsp
• Jaggery - 1 cup
• Water - 3/4 cup
• Roasted Jeera/cumin powder - 1 pinch
• Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
• Dry ginger powder/Chukku podi -1/4 tsp
• Split Moong dal /Chana Dal - 1 tbsp (optional)

Method

1. Melt 1 cup jaggery in 3/4 water and make jaggery syrup(shakkarapani). 
2. Heat a pan .Add ghee and splutter moong/Chana dal till golden color.
3. Reduce the flame and add jaggery syrup and boil it it reaches one - string consistency ( "otta nool parivum"- the syrup should form a string when you stretch between your thumb and index finger).
4. Add grated coconut , cardamom, jeera ,dry ginger powder and mix well.
5. Add aval(beaten rice flakes) and give a good mix so that all the rice flakes are well coated in jaggery syrup.
6. Can be eaten as such or with cheru pazham (plantain)

Notes

1. This snack can be stored for long time in room temperature in an airtight container.
2. The consistency of jaggery syrup is very important. If it is too thick it makes the "aval"  hard
3. Red poha (chuvanna aval) is best for this recipe. 
4. Adding dal is optional but it gives a bite  in between.
5.  Make the jaggery to one string consistency  and store it well in a moisture free airtight container to avoid  this  from getting rancid very fast.