Aval Nanachathu- Sweet Poha with Coconut

Aval nanachatha is an instant recipe ideal for breakfast and evening snacks. Sweet Poha with coconut is served during travel too as it is convenient to serve and eat too. Small banana is a good combination to have along with aval nanachatha, you can have it otherwise too.

Aval is also called Poha in North India, Flattened rice, Atukulu in Telugu. Poha is made with a spicy taste in North India. Aval nanachatha itself means wetting or dampen the flakes. Therefore you need to lightly sprinkle water/ coconut water to make it absorb the taste of jaggery and fresh coconut.

In some parts of kerala, milk is used to prepare aval nanachatha, I love the taste of black coffee in aval nanachatha.

Ingredients for Aval Nanachatha- Sweet Poha with coconut

• Flattened rice/ Aval/ Poha: 3 cups
• Fresh coconut : 1 cup ( grated)
• Jaggery: 1 cup ( grated)
• Black coffee / Coconut water: 1 cup ( at room temp)
• Elaichi / Cardamom: 2 nos ( powdered)

Procedure for preparing Aval Nanachatha- Sweet Poha with coconut:

Method:

• Sift the flattened rice to remove any small powdered particles.
• In a wide vessel add flattened rice, grated coconut, grated jaggery, powdered cardamom and mix well.
• Sprinkle water / coconut  water or black coffee (kattan kapi) and mix the ingredients. The mix should not become soggy, it should remain as sweetened flakes.
• Mix and serve. People do serve this with small banana.Prepare this instantly and serve .The longer you retain it will become soggy and the crispness of atuluku will go away.
• If you are using the kerala poha i.e thick and red variety you will have to sprinkle lukewarm water / black coffee / milk.

My mom used to chop banana as slices and serve aval nanachatha when we were kids. Now I follow that practice for my kids.

The combination of fresh coconut and grated jaggery is loved by kids and elders and usually my kids will grab from the plate immediately after they get to know something new is being prepared in the kitchen. They will make multiple rounds to see the progress. Their senses for smell is perfect (as Madhuri Dixit says in Jhalak Dikla jaa-TV prog) and they will come sniffing from their respective study rooms more so, if they are studying.  I repeat this because you will not get them during play time or TV time.

You can try this recipe with sugar too if jaggery is not available. This is an easily digestible, healthy snack and can be made in no time. Give a try for evening snacks today.

I’m planning to prepare aval vilayichatha some time shortly. There are plenty of recipes with aval : Atukulu laddoo, Fried Atukulu and so on.

In winters you can have it with hot chukka kapi and brighten your mood.

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Sukhiyan-Popular 4pm snack with High protein

Sukhiyan is a favorite snack at our home along with evening tea. Sukhiyan is prepared mostly during Onam, Christian festivals and it is available at tea stalls across India. Because of its popularity and demand you will notice Sukhiyan being sold by Malayali vendors outside Kerala. Wherever there is a kerala fest / cultural programs being conducted by keralites, you can see Sukhiyan being sold in the outlets.

Sukhiyan is a sweet and tasty snack containing high protein. You can relish it when served hot or can be eaten at room temp. Sukhiyan balls have to be kept in the refrigerator if you want to serve the next day.

As the base is fresh coconut and cooked moong gram it has to be consumed the same day, accordingly plan for the batch of suvians. This is not a typo error, we used to call this sweet Suvian until recently when an elderly aunt of mine corrected me.

Ingredients for Sukhiyan-Popular 4pm snack:

• Whole green Moong gram : ¼ kg
• Jaggery: ¼ kg
• Coconut: 2 cups grated
• Cardamom/ Elaichi: 8 nos (seeds to be powdered)
• Rice flour/ Maida/Wheat flour: 2 cups
• Salt: as per taste
• Cooking oil: for frying the sukhiyan balls
• Haldi powder/ Turmeric powder: 2 pinches
• Jeera: 1 pinch

Procedure for preparing Sukhiyan-Popular 4pm snack of South India:

Method:

• Soak the whole green moong gram for an hour. Wash and drain the water. Ensure no stones.
• Pressure cook the moong gram adding water as the measurement of moong gram prior to soaking.i.e 1 glass of moong gram:1 glass of water.Add ¼ tsp of salt and a pinch of haldi powder.
• After the cooker cools you will observe that the water is totally absorbed by the moong gram and they are nicely swollen, cooked with a crack here and there. When the whistle blows you will also get the aroma of typical cooked moong gram.
• Crush / grate the jaggery and boil in a vessel with ¼ glass of water. When all the jaggery melts filter to remove any dust particles that are embedded in the jaggery blocks.
• In a flat bottomed wide pan add the jaggery solution. Keep stirring the liquid to avoid catching at the base. After 4 to 5 mins add grated fresh coconut. You will observe that after 3 to 4 mins the coconut has absorbed the jaggery and it is turning dry.
• This is the time to add powdered elaichi. Mix well, reduce flame and add the cooked whole green moong gram.
• Mix well to avoid catching at the base. Put off the flame. Allow this base to cool down. Make small balls –the size of rava laddoo.
• The covering for sukhiyan balls can be made with rice flour/ maida flour/wheat flour or a combination of rice flour and maida i.e 1:1 ratio.
• Add a pinch of jeera, pinch of haldi powder, salt to the dry flour. Add water and make a thick batter. When you dip the balls it should get covered and the coating should remain as in mirchi bajji.
• Heat oil and start frying the sukhiyan balls immersed in the batter. Deep fry until texture is crisp and has turned color. Drain onto paper towels. Serve hot or at normal temperature.

Try this recipe and surprise your family and friends with an authentic recipe. Sukhiyan is considered to be a part of kerala cuisine and the smell and look are bringing fond memories making my eyes damp with tears.

Variations in the batter for covering can be by immersing in dosa batter. You can make sukhiyan on the day you have left over dosa batter.

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