Monday, January 10, 2011

Aval Varattiyathu/ Beaten rice cooked with coconut and jaggery

How are you all? We have been erratic updating this site - being busy myself, and Sunitha moving to a new city.  Nevertheless, since blogging is a lot of fun for me, I wanted to share something that I made a while ago.  It’s a familiar food for most South Indians, and for me it is yet another food that brings back fond memories.  Nostalgia! 

Desserts after a main course is common but after a breakfast? Well, sure why not! Every breakfast party in Hindu-households in Kerala has one. Story of our culture: Every celebration in a family spans over a week even if there are no religious rituals to perform or ceremonies to conduct. You ask why? It is because we invite family and friends over who will stay over even if space is crammed and the noise can wake up the dead.

So then, if there are so many people then there must be a lot of women too right? Yes, and when women in the days got together what to they do? But of course, cook! Like all mothers, they will hang out in the kitchen and cook for the neighborhood. Cooking itself becomes a celebration.  To add to it being a vacation they treat every meal to become special. How they make all this happen?  On top of a carbohydrate rich idli breakfast they will serve beaten rice mixed with jaggery, spiced with ginger, all of it toggled together with a generous portion of sweet, toasted, aromatic coconut.  This aval varattiyathu smells like the food fit for gods.

  Aval Varattiyathu!  Serve it after a spicy breakfast of idli and sambar and the children who hate idli can skip the main course and relish the second.  For creating such an awesome recipe is why we love our mothers as much. My granny and mom continue to make heaps of this and store away for  weeks.  The family snacks on it with evening tea too.

Aval Varattiyathu

A bite of nuts in between is awesome !

Aval Varattiyathu

If you like jaggery and beaten rice, you must try this ;-)

Aval Varattiyathu


Ingredients:

Jaggery- 200g/ 1cup grated
Aval/Poha/beaten rice- 2 cups
Coconut, grated-2 cups
Cardamom Powdered- 1 tsp
Cumin seeds-2 tsp
ginger powder- 1/4 tsp
Roasted pottukadala/kadalapparippu(optional)-3 Tbsp
Cashews(optional)- 3 Tbsp

Method:

1.Melt the jaggery after adding a couple of spoons of water and boiling it.Sieve out any dirt and continue to boil till it reaches one thread consistency.
2.Add the grated coconut and mix well. Continue to stir till all the water is absorbed from the coconut.(this step is crucial if you are planning to store your "varattiyathu" for a while.
3.Now add the aval and the spices and mix well. Also you could add the casgews and the kadalapparippu at this time(if you are adding any)
4.Switch off the heat and let it cool completely before you store this in an airtight container.
5.Serve with plantain or as it is.

Notes:

1.If the jaggery is more, sprinkle a spoon or two of granulated sugar and mix well. This will make it get dried faster.
2.If you wash the aval before using, let it dry completely before making this.

Contributor: Namitha

50 comments:

  1. This looks like a perfect tea-time Snack! The pictures are gorgeous.

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  2. ahhh love jaggery and this one looks delicious.

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  3. WOW!! Aval varattiyathu kandittu kothi sahikunilla..Superb pics, Nami!

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  4. Adipoli aval varattiyathu, njan innu chayaku undan nokkunu undu.

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  5. This is simply superb.... Nice recipe... Looks so good. YUM!

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  6. Adipoli!!! ippo ichira kittiyal kollamayirunnu :)

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  7. Yes one of my favourite, mom made this a lot for us when we came back from school this just looks so so good,

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  8. I remember my mom preparing this almost every week as this was our favourite evening snack... thnx for sharing!

    Also, there is a small giveaway in my blog.. Do participate in it!

    http://rasoithekitchen.blogspot.com/

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  9. oh lovely recipe i would to have with warm milk ....:)

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  10. thats yummy and gud for kids as well

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  11. This is a really new snack cum breakfast idea to include poha in my diet.love coconut &jaggery together.

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  12. Wow looks sooooooooooooo yumm absolutely gorgeous pictures. THis is so healthy and nice snack :)

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  13. I call this as Aval Vilayichathu....My mother always makes this...Picture is seriously Nostalgic....

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  14. Kids should love this one- perfect a quick whip snack idea!

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  15. We also call this as aval vilayichathu and i remember my mom packs this for me when i go back to hostel..Looks awesome and adipoli nami...

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  16. soooooooovery temptingly delicious.

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  17. oh my god...this is my fav...looks sooo delicious..loved it..

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  18. Kandittu kothiyavunnu..adipoli clicks dear.

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  19. thanx for visiting my blog and commenting!...keep visiting!
    Loving the sweet poha dish..yum yum!

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  20. Superb pics nami..just love this snack very much, these brings back memories of going back to my ammaamma's house..Very Nostalgic!!

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  21. delicious a favourite snack yummy lovely colour

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  22. This sounds really wonderful. I have never had anything like it. Loved hearing the stories about your culture:) They don't make mom's like they used to..lol

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  23. Great combo and healthy! Wanna grab that plate now!

    http://treatntrick.blogspot.com

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  24. Nice one!! Healthy too since gur is used..I love the addition of ginger to spice it up a bit..

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  25. we also call this aval vilayichathu... amma hostelilekku thannayakkarundu.. :)

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  26. nice recipe, looks tasty and inviting.

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  27. Nice snack..looks absolutely tempting..:)

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  28. adipoli kandittu kothi akunu superb pic

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  29. adipoli kandittu kothi akunu superb pic

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  30. adipoli kandittu kothi akunu superb pic

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  31. My favorite .Can have it any time..Pics are lovely

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  32. The dish looks lovely...
    I am returning back to india for good.....so I am very busy with packing cleaning et al.....Therefore now I have become very irregular in blogging...Keep in touch dear...and take care...

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  33. Looks great, pictures are awesome!

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  34. Looks authentic and makes a healthy snack :)

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  35. Love them..... Adding Cumin Powder n ginger is new to me in this!!

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  36. ayyo.. kothippicheeee..... adipoli...

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  37. Interesting way to cook rice. Never try this before!

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  38. This is something new to me! It sure sounds delicious - would love to try it!

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  39. I have a big chunk of jaggery in my pantry and was wondering what to do with it! Thank you.

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