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Aval Ethapazham Varattiyathu / Beaten Brown Rice Flakes and Ripe Plantains cooked withJaggery and Coconut

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This is one of my favorite after school snacks while I was growing up. When school got over around 3.30 P.M, we sisters will have a running race as to who will be the first to knock the door bell. Out stomach will be almost empty and groveling, and it needs refueling as the afternoon lunch has disappeared by that time. We will scream “mom, mom, we need something” and amma will say “I have prepared something for your guys and it is on the dining table, wash you face and hand and eat quietly; I am going to take a bath”. Normally she would keep two plates; otherwise there will be fight between the two sisters. My little sister would always volunteer to divide the food. Don’t think that she is so nice and doing it to be volunteer. She does the division so that 75% goes to her plate and rest is for me and mom. This episode takes place before dad comes home as he doesn’t like us making noise. 

This is one of traditional snack items in Kerala that is made as side for evening tea, or if some unexpected guest shows up. This dish is made with beaten rice flakes. Use of beaten rice flakes is really common in Indian, Nepal and Bangladesh cooking. These rice flakes swells when you add liquid to it whether it is hot or cold, and will absorb water, milk or any other liquids. There are two types of rice flakes; one is with white rice and other with local brown raw rice (Chemba pachari). Two types of rice flakes (white as well as brown) are available: the thick and thin version, of which later one being expensive. Thick version is used to make this dish. You can make another simple snack by just mixing the jaggery, brown rice flakes and coconut then it become “aval nanachathu”. Amma makes this aval varatiyathu, she cooks brown rice flakes in jaggery (refined sugar) and coconut with a ripe plantains, thus to make it as complete dish .

I made a barely sweetened aval ethapazham varatiyathu with a ripe plantain. Added some cardamom to make it more aromatic, it will ready in 5 minutes. If you are clean fanatic like me then make jaggery water and strain the impurities and then add coconut, plantain and cook for some time just to coat jaggery over plantain and switch off the flame and then add beaten rice and combine well. The delicious snack is ready in no time. These are healthy if you add minimum amount of sweetener as they are fat free. Try some time this will give you the sugar rush you needed in the evening. Here goes the recipe. 

One year ago: Sardinian flatbread /carta da musica/Music paper bread

Print recipe from here

What you need

Beaten rice flakes/ Poha: 2 ½ cup
Ripe Plantain: 1 no( sliced into thin rounds of ¼ inch piece)
Jaggery/Unrefined sugar: ⅓ cup ( If you need more sweetness, increase amount up to 1 cup)
Freshly grated coconut: ½ cup
Cardamom: 2no
Water: ⅛ cup

How I made

In a medium sauce pot heat ⅛cup of water with jaggery until jaggery melts completely. Remove from the fire and strain the liquid jaggery using a strainer for impurities and set aside. 
Heat jaggery water once again and add coconut and plantains piece and cook for 2 minutes or the jaggery reduced in quantities. Switch off the flame and add poha and mix everything well to get incorporated. Add crushed cardamom and mix again. 

Serve with your favorite coffee or tea. 

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Yield: 4 serving
Verdict: Yummy
Will you make it again: Yes I will.

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Comments

  1. garlutti says

    Swathi .. very interesting and fun recipe with plantains and rice flakes .. I note and I will do it .. hugs, hugs MARIMI

  2. Reeni says

    What a delicious treat! My mouth is watering as I look at them!

  3. Ananda Rajashekar says

    This is absolutely new for me, looks so Yum!

  4. Miriam says

    I actually havce 2 very ripe plantains that I was wondering what to do with. Thanks! Miriam@Meatless Meals For Meat Eaters

  5. Joanne says

    What a wonderful dish! I love plantains!

  6. Sonia says

    Swathi, What a perfect dish to savor any time of the day... !

  7. Chitra says

    Perfect snack to munch on , healthy too..

  8. Alessandra says

    Yes, the perfect after school snack!

    ciao

    Alessandra

  10. Rachu says

    Swathi kutti.. kuttikalam orma vannu.. seriously this is the best easy common household snack.
    ammaandbaby.blogspot.com/

  11. Indie.Tea says

    Your blog makes me realize that I haven't learned enough about Malayali cooking...S and his family just make the basic thorans and curries. I've never heard of or seen this snack, and it sounds delicious!

  12. Kairali sisters says

    Swathi, can you please parcel me some? I too loved this as a snack during my school days..

  13. Padma says

    Nice combo... healthy and filling.

  14. Peggy says

    I like the addition of cardamom in this! I bet it smelled wonderful!

  15. Dimah says

    This looks and sounds very healthy and delicious!

  16. sinfullyspicy.com says

    This looks super healthy and quick.I have never tried poha with fruits..very new for me.

  17. Sushma Mallya says

    Looks delicious, I used to love this when my mom used to prepare:)

  18. ♥Sugar♥Plum♥Fairy♥ says

    I kinda know how this tastes , have been to the SOuth of India and stayed there for a bit and i used to go gaga over all these kinda sweet dishes including all sorts of sweet appams and sweet puttu with lods of coconut and jaggery.
    There is some dryish kinda very v delicious powder had with sweet bananas too, i dont know what its called though but its amazing and i used to gaga over that.
    ur pics wanna make me grab this right away u know:-)

  19. SheenaBabu says

    Adipoli...making me Droool

  20. Elisabeth says

    Swathi-I would love this wonderful dish, as a snack, a dessert, and a side dish. Love the plantains combined with it, since you used the sweet ones, it would be a lovely, and healthy dessert for me!

  21. Neenu Praveen says

    i jst had them yday wth white aval..love them

  22. G.Pavani says

    new n yummy recipe..

  23. Vimitha Anand says

    A delicious looking sweet and is so healthy tooo

  24. Usha says

    Lovely combination, looks delicious !

  26. Sarah Naveen says

    ayyo..ayyo.enikku ichira thaa!!!! yummyyyyy

  27. Suja Sugathan says

    Makes me nostalgic,perfect and yummy snack.

  28. divya says

    Irresistible and healthy snack! Am drooling over 😉

  29. Abhilash Pillai says

    his is a specialty dish from my appuppan(grandfather). He makes this superb. Nice way of presentation Swathi

  30. RAKS KITCHEN says

    Never tried this brown rice flakes so far,nice recipe using it!

  31. girlichef says

    The foods that remind us of childhood are some of the best...this is new to me, but sounds delicious 😀

  32. Jay says

    great try Swathi..it has yielded beautiful results..
    Tasty Appetite

  33. Ila says

    looks yummy and classy 🙂

  34. Deepa Praveen says

    Enjoyed your post..so nice. Yea I love avil

  35. Rani acharyulu says

    Lovely sister's fight,really we miss those fights after marriage.Yummy and delicious sweet recipe.

  36. Priya says

    Wow thats a delicious snack, i wont stop having if i make them..

  37. Padhu says

    Yummy snack.My mother prepares this often when we were kids

  38. Sharmilee! :) says

    Looks interesting and a nice twist...delicious looking

  39. Raji says

    Lovely dish...bookmarked.

  40. kitchen queen says

    Wow very innovative and delicious with beautiful clicks.

  41. Pushpa says

    A fav of mine too as a child and even now.Looks delicious.

  42. Prathibha says

    That is a very simple n appetizing one...

  43. Hari Chandana says

    Very healthy and tempting recipe.. looks inviting !!

    Indian Cuisine

  45. savitha ramesh says

    Sister fights are always there in every houe.but after marriage we are missing those.Lovely snack and healthy too.

  46. VS says

    Looks delicious!

  47. Sensible Vegetarian says

    Looks fantastic, such delicious and healthy snack.

  48. Torviewtoronto says

    have had this without the plantain must be a delicious addition looks wonderful

  49. Fathima says

    Yummy... reminds me of school days too when we used to have this as a snack!

  50. Mrs K says

    Swathi,thanks for letting us know about this wonderful snack/dessert you ate growing up,sounds so yummy and such a healthy and yummy way to take care of the sweet tooth;)

  51. Hamaree Rasoi says

    Very healthy and fulfilling preparation dear. Loved the look of it.

    Deepa
    Hamaree Rasoi

  52. Suman Singh says

    Wow! What an interesting and delicious dish..very unique to me..thanks for sharing!

  53. Reshmi Mahesh says

    Ithu super aayittundu...njangal edakki undakar undu...love the flavour of cardamom and banana...Nice pics too...

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