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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Krishna Janmashtami

During Janmashtami children dress like Baal Krishna, they hold a flute and a peacock in the head band, wear a dhoti only as a lookalike of Bal Krishna. Special puja is performed in the evening when the childs legs are dipped in color and the colored impression is made on the floor when the child visits your home. This is believed to be symbolic of Nand Gopal i.e Bal Krishna coming to your home.

In some parts of India the image or statue of Lord Krishna is placed in swings and cradles and are kept swinging by devotees. All the Krishna temples are decorated and this also happens to attract pilgrims to places associated with Krishna’s childhood like Mathura, Gokul and Vrindavan. The Guruvayoor temple at kerala is also popular on Krishna Janmashtami.

Fasting is followed by most devotees and they break the fast with vegetarian dishes. Sweets are also distributed on this special occasion. Today I’m sharing a sweet recipe that is new and will certainly be liked.

Ingredients for Atukulu laddoo:

• Atukulu / Poha /Pressed rice : 1 cup
• Vermicelli: 1/3 cup
• Moong gram: ½ cup
• Sugar: ½ cup ( powdered)
• Cardamom/ Elaichi: 8 nos ( powdered)
• Kaaju / Cashewnut: 6 nos ( chop into small pieces)
• Kismis / Raisins: 6 nos ( slice into halves)
• Ghee: 1/3 cup

Procedure for preparing Atukulu laddoo/ Poha laddoo- Janmashtami special sweet:

Method:

• In a kadai fry Atukulu/ Poha, Vermicelli and Moong gram separately. Ensure they do not change color or burn.
• Transfer into separate plates. Allow it to cool.
• In a mixer powder Atukulu/ Poha, Vermicelli,Moong gram and Sugar separately.
• Heat 2 tsp of ghee in the same kadai, add chopped Kaaju and Kismis.Remove Kadai from flame.
• Mix all the powders together. Add elaichi powder and fried Kaaju, Kismis.
• Heat the remaining ghee and add spoon by spoon to the mixed powders. Mix all the ingredients and try to make small balls .
• Atukulu laddoo / Poha laddoo is ready to serve.

Variations in this laddoo will include addition of Dessicated coconut:1/3 cup. You can alternate vermicelli with oats as it is commonly available in most homes.

It is important that you fry and powder the ingredients separately as each ingredient has its own time to get heated and powdery too.

The flavors of cardamom and ghee will be so good that you will look forward to have more sweets.This delicious and grainy texture of laddoos will be a big surprise and a huge hit among your family and friends.

Go ahead and try this variety of laddoo or rava laddoo, til laddoo this Janmashtami. Enjoy the celebrations!!

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