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Aval vilayichathu
Flattened rice with jaggery and coconut
അവൽ വിളയിച്ചത്: beaten rice tossed in melted jaggery with coconut, roasted gram and sesame
Aval vilayichathu is the quickest sweet in a Kerala kitchen, made in Palakkad and Thrissur homes for evening tea, for children back from school, or as an offering for Krishna on Janmashtami. Thick beaten rice is stirred into hot jaggery syrup with coconut, then finished with toasted sesame, roasted chana and coconut slivers so it turns chewy, dry and fragrant. A common mistake is adding the aval while the syrup is too thin; the flakes go mushy instead of glazing, so cook the jaggery and coconut until thick first. Chef's tip: use thick red aval if you can find it; it keeps a bite and has a gentle nutty taste.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 7 oz jaggerygrated
- ¼ cup water
- 3 ½ oz fresh grated coconut
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- ¼ tsp dry ginger powder
To finish
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp thin coconut slivers
- 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Melt 7 oz jaggery with ¼ cup water in a wide pan, strain out grit and return to medium heat.
4 minStep 2: Add 3 ½ oz fresh grated coconut and cook, stirring, until the mix is thick and bubbly and a drop holds its shape, about 6 minutes.
6 minStep 3: Turn the heat to low, add 7 oz thick beaten rice (aval/poha), ½ tsp ground cardamom and ¼ tsp dry ginger powder and fold until every flake is coated. Keep stirring until it looks dry and the flakes separate, 4–5 minutes. Take off the heat.
5 minStep 4: In a small pan heat 1 tbsp coconut oil and fry 2 tbsp thin coconut slivers until golden, then add 2 tbsp roasted chana dal (pottukadalai) and 1 tbsp white sesame seeds for 30 seconds until the sesame pops.
2 minStep 5: Toss the fried mix into the aval, cool, and store airtight for up to 5 days.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 280 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does aval vilayichathu take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 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 jaggery?
- Dark brown or muscovado sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of thick beaten rice (aval/poha)?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
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