Aval Vilayichathu
A traditional Kerala sweet snack made with flattened rice, jaggery, and coconut. This simple, no-fuss recipe is fragrant with cardamom and ginger, perfect for evening tea or festive occasions.
For 4 servings
4 steps. 15 minutes total.
- 1
Roast the nuts and raisins
- a.Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the cashew pieces and fry until they turn light golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Add the raisins and fry until they puff up, about 30 seconds. Remove the nuts and raisins from the pan and set them aside.
- 2
Make the jaggery syrup
- a.In the same pan, add the grated jaggery and 1/2 cup of water. Heat on low-medium, stirring continuously until the jaggery dissolves completely. Turn off the heat and strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove any impurities. Pour the strained syrup back into the pan and bring it to a gentle simmer for 2-3 minutes until it thickens slightly. It should be sticky but not form a string consistency.
- 3
Combine the ingredients
- a.Reduce the heat to low. Add the grated coconut, cardamom powder, and dried ginger powder to the jaggery syrup. Mix well and cook for 1 minute. Add the aval (flattened rice) to the pan. Gently mix everything together until each flake of poha is evenly coated with the jaggery-coconut mixture.
- 4
Finish and serve
- a.Turn off the heat. Add the roasted cashews, raisins, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of ghee. Mix everything well one last time. Serve the Aval Vilayichathu warm or at room temperature as a snack.
What to keep in mind.
6 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.
- 1Always use thick poha (called 'getti aval' in Kerala) for this recipe. Thin poha will turn mushy and break apart.
- 2Do not wash or soak the poha. If it seems extremely hard, you can sprinkle a tablespoon of water on it and let it rest for 5 minutes before using.
- 3Be careful not to overcook the jaggery syrup. It should only be slightly thick and sticky. A hard syrup will make the final dish dry and clumpy.
- 4Adding the final two tablespoons of ghee after turning off the heat gives a wonderful aroma and prevents the poha from sticking together.
- 5For a slightly different flavor, you can add a pinch of cumin powder along with the cardamom powder.
- 6Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Adapt it for your goals.
Vegan
Replace the ghee with an equal amount of coconut oil for a completely plant-based version that complements the coconut flavor.
healthyHealthy
Reduce the jaggery to 1 cup and ghee to 1.5 tablespoons. You can also add a tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds for extra nutrients.
nut freeNut free
Simply omit the cashews. For a similar crunch, you can add toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds if desired.
quickQuick
Use pre-powdered jaggery which dissolves much faster. If you are using a pure, impurity-free variety, you can skip the straining step to save time.