Aval Nanachathu or Sweetened Rice Flakes is a popular teatime snack in Kerala household. It’s a no-slog sweet treat that is loved by kids and adults alike.
“Mom, we are hungry!” is a daily prayer we do at 4 pm every day since childhood. We (almost always) need something to munch on with our evening tea and “Naalu Mani Palaharam” aka Four-o’-clock Snacks is customary. I’m sure it is the same in most of the households in our country.
Back in those days, my sister and I always found a bowl of Aval Nanachathu at home as we came starving from school. Mom was working too and she knew we didn’t have the patience to wait for her to munch on goodies which she brought from nearby bakeries. Aval Nanachathu was definitely a life-saver for us and her (because it doesn’t involve cooking and is quite easy to prepare).
Aval is popularly known as Poha in Northern states of the country. It is basically, flattened beaten rice and is used to make a variety of dishes that are mostly savory. However, this particular recipe is sweet for it contains sugar, jaggery, and grated coconut.
Aval can be found in two varieties – the brown rice flakes are made from parboiled brown rice, popularly known as Kerala rice and the white rice flakes. You can use any of these to make this recipe, though my favorite is the former one.
How to Make Aval Nanachathu
“Nanachathu” in Malayalam means wet or dampened. So, here we are dampening the rice flakes by adding jaggery syrup, sugar, and grated coconut.
In a mixing bowl, add grated coconut, grated jaggery or jaggery syrup, sugar and crushed cardamom. Blend well using your hands. Add aval or beaten rice to it. Crush and squish again until you feel it is dampening by releasing the moisture from sugar, jaggery, and grated coconut.
You can keep aside for a couple of hours to infuse more flavour to the rice flakes or serve immediately with tea.
Additionally, you can top it with a teaspoon of ghee or milk and serve with banana slices.
Aval Nanachathu Recipe:
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Aval Nanachathu
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 3 people 1x
Description
Dampened rice flakes with jaggery, grated coconut, and sugar infused with the goodness of cardamon and ghee
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups Aval (Poha/Beaten brown rice)
- 1 cup Coconut, freshly grated
- 1/2 cup Jaggery, grated
- 2 cardamon, crushed
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Ghee
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add grated coconut, grated jaggery, sugar and cardamon. Using your hand, blend them well.
- Add beaten rice and mix again for another 3-4 minutes until the mixture is damp.
- Keep aside for a couple of hours to release further moisture or serve immediately.
- Top it with a teaspoon of ghee and serve with sliced bananas.
Notes
You can mash the bananas with a fork or hand to the Aval because that’s how we have at home!
The whole mixture is just damp enough to make balls out of it. It isn’t a soggy, liquidy mixture.
- Prep Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 0 hours
- Category: Snack
- Cuisine: Kerala
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Sweet poha snack, its something new, will surely try
This looks a must try.will try making it soon
Looks Yummmmmy. Will definitely try it out.
Yes I tried it but I added a pinch of Jeera to it and it tasted delicious. I did not add sugar. All the same it was good
★★★★★
It sounds great actually, I’m just not sure I can get rice flakes. Would live to try it though, so I’ll keep an eye out.
Wow! We have savory poha atleast once a week but this sweetened and no cook version is new to me. Worth trying…
Looks delicious. Banana recipes are always yum. Thanks for this.
This is still my go to dish for my hunger pangs! So simple and so delicious!
This is the best thing ever. Thanks for sharing this Shalini.
It is one of my favourite snacks. And so simple to make.
I am unaware about the dishes of Kerala but I will definitely try to make this.
This looks so delicious, and is so easy to make! With my sweet tooth demanding something everyday, I am going to try this soon. Great pics, as usual!
Never heard about this simple and tempting delicacy. Health factor is an added advantage. Will surely try
This looks yummy and easy to make too Surely trying it out and hope my kids like it too.
This is super yummy. I have had it on my trips to Kerala. Simple yet satisfying.
I have eaten this during my childhood days. I know this.
Hey!! Loved it, my mother-in-law makes it for breakfast some times
Nice one. I have had this dish. Great start to your challenge.
I am imagining the taste of rice flakes dipped in jaggery syrup. Sounds and looks heavenly. Have never seen or heard about Aval Nanachathu. Will look out for it on my next trip to the store.