Aval laddu (Flattened red rice and jaggery balls)

Aval laddu (Flattened red rice and jaggery balls)

Aval (Red flattened rice/ red poha) is commonly used in southern part of India. It is made from red rice and a healthier version of the white poha. Red rice has many health benefiting properties. Red rice is not processed like white rice and so the bran outer layer is preserved. This bran present in red rice is rich in fiber, vitamin B, and minerals like calcium, zinc, iron, manganese etc. Red rice has a good supply of antioxidants which helps in neutralizing the free radicals in our body.

People from Kerala like to have aval in different forms as an evening snack, for example, aval nanachathu (aval and coconut mixture), aval vilayichathu (aval mixed with jaggery syrup), aval upma are some of the snack items we munch on. Aval laddu, aka aval jaggery balls are tasty and healthy whenever you crave for a sweet something to indulge on without taking a guilty ride. It requires a few ingredients, which would be readily available in your pantry. So it makes a perfect recipe to try out during this lock down period.

Ingredients:

Red poha (aval) - Dry roasted - 1/2 kg (2 cups)
Jaggery - 1/2 kg (1 lb)
Water - To make the jaggery syrup - 1.5 cups / or as required
Salt -1/4 tsp
Coconut - grated (1 whole coconut)
Ghee -1 tsp (optional)
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Dry ginger powder -1/2 tsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Cashew nuts - chopped - 1 tsp

Instructions:

Heat a pan and dry roast the poha on medium flame.
Once it cools down, grind it in a mixer to a powder consistency.
Add water to jaggery and keep it on a medium flame to make a syrup of it. Once it starts to bubble add the grated coconut and salt.
Stir it until the coconut absorbs the jaggery syrup.