Aval Vilayichathu ~ Sweet Rice Flakes from Kerala !

When I think about this childhood delicacy (continues to be so even today),I suddenly gets the special aroma wafting around the kitchen,the undefined smell of kitchen storeroom with the jars emptied and full,the darkness in which one can't identify which is the jar one is looking for and there I am again the helpless child searching for the switch.Pure dilemmas of childhood...

This is a simple recipe and the advantage is long life.You can store it in an airtight container to be used as snack.Bananas make a nice combo with this.

Ingredients

4 cups rice flakes/aval/poha

2 cups grated jaggery

1 cup water

1 heaped cup fresh,grated coconut

1 tsp ghee

3/4 tbsp sesame seeds

4 tbsps split gram / pottukadala

3/4 tsp cardamom powder

Method

In a heavy bottomed kadai or pot bring jaggery and water to a boil.Reduce the heat to medium and add the grated coconut.Mix well and roast stirring often till the water is almost dried and the mixture gets thicker.Switch off the heat and allow it to cool.Meanwhile heat the ghee in a small pan and roast the sesame seeds and gram.Set aside.Once the jaggery coconut mixture is cool,slowly add the rice flakes and mix well first with the spoon and then with your hand.Add the roasted sesame seeds,gram and cardamom powder.Mix well again with hand.Store in airtight container.Serve as snack.