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Aggala
Rice flour and coconut balls
අග්ගලා: roasted rice flour and coconut balls bound with treacle and pepper
When the astrologers' auspicious hour for Aluth Avurudu, the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, arrives in April, Sri Lankan families light the hearth, boil kiribath and lay out a table of sweets, and small dark aggala balls are one of the easiest to make. Roasted rice flour and toasted coconut are bound with hot kithul treacle and a surprising amount of black pepper, which gives a warm bite after the sweetness. They are dense, soft and slightly crumbly. The common mistake is under-roasting the flour, which leaves a raw, pasty taste; roast it until it smells like biscuits and flows loosely off the spoon. The treacle is ready when it bubbles all over and thickens slightly. Chef's tip: shape them while the mixture is still warm, with lightly oiled palms, because they harden and crack as they cool.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
- 3 ½ oz fresh coconutgrated
- ¾ cup kithul treacleor thick coconut or jaggery syrup
- ¾ tsp black pepperfinely ground
- ¼ tsp ground green cardamom
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp coconut oilfor your palms
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Dry-roast 7 oz red or white rice flour in a heavy pan over a low heat, stirring constantly, for 10–12 minutes until it smells toasty, turns a shade darker and flows freely. Tip into a bowl. Set aside 2 tablespoons for rolling.
12 minStep 2: In the same pan, toast 3 ½ oz fresh coconut over a low heat for 4–5 minutes until dry and lightly golden. Add it to the flour with ¾ tsp black pepper, ¼ tsp ground green cardamom and 1 pinch salt.
5 minStep 3: Heat ¾ cup kithul treacle in a small pan until it bubbles all over, then simmer for 2 minutes until slightly thickened.
3 minStep 4: Pour the hot treacle over the flour mixture and mix with a spoon, then with your hands once cool enough, until it holds together when squeezed. Add a spoon of hot water if it is crumbly.
Step 5: Rub your palms with 1 tsp coconut oil and roll the warm mixture into 3 cm balls. Roll each in the reserved flour. Cool on a tray, then store in an airtight tin for up to a week.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 180 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 33 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does aggala take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of fresh coconut?
- Desiccated coconut soaked in hot water for 15 minutes, about three quarters of the weight.
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