Rice Flakes Snack - Aval Vilayichathu or Aval Nanachathu

https://thegreedyvegan.com/how-to-make-overnight-rice-flakes/

Both me And my sister, despite of our differences we are having, we catchup almost every day for a few minutes to give a quick video call.

Thanks to growing technologies to make all impossible things possible and we don’t feel distant anymore. So the other day, we had a quick call.

She answered the video call with a bowl of snacks, basically chewing while she answered the call.

I looked at her and my first question was “What are you eating”?

Ahh, it’s “Aval vilayichathu.”

You may not understand what it is. In Kerala, my hometown, we call it “Aval vilayichathu” or “Aval Nanachathu.”

Basically, its Rice flakes, brown or white sautéed in butter or Ghee and coated with melted palm sugar and grated coconut and topped with nuts, If you like to have a nutty taste.

The last time I eat this was last year; I wanted to eat this snack in the middle of my pregnancy. It’s not craving, just because I don’t like the taste of the many foods I had during pregnancy.

So I will sort for some special food, and these rice flakes were one of them. I showed, practically instructed my husband how to make it and subsequently, he made it for me every now and then.

How nice isn’t it? I miss those days. Back then, He used to make a cup of black tea every morning. I didn’t want anybody else to make it but just him.

It has a special taste, and to me, it’s the perfect cup of black tea. Pregnancy hormones, I guess.

Black tea or black coffee is the perfect combination for this snack. Obviously, the Snack is sweet, so it goes well with these drinks.

There is an easy method to make this and a hard way too. Well, It’s not really hard, but longer, I would say. Both will have a different texture.

The easy one is crunchy, while the hard or longer method made is gooier and comes with 2 different names.

Easy Method is Aval Nanachathu

Long Method is Aval Vilayichathu

Aval Nanachathu, Image by Author

Ingredients

1 cup Rice Flakes ( brown or white of your choice)

1 tablespoon butter or ghee ( I prefer butter)

1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder

1/2 cup melted palm sugar ( add more if you like it to be sweeter)

1/4 cup grated coconut ( add more if you like to have more coconut flavor)

Roasted peanuts or other nuts( optional; I don’t use when I make )

Preparation - Easy Method

1. Heat a pan on Medium-low flame, and roast the rice flakes until they are crispy. This would only take about 2–3 minutes.
2. Turn off heat, add butter, and cardamom powder into the rice flakes. Mix them well with a spoon. If it’s not too hot, use hands instead. The hand mixing goes better for this.
3. Add Grated coconut and melted palm sugar and mix it thoroughly until everything blends well.
4. Add roasted nuts of your choice and enjoy the Crunchy warm snack with a cup of coffee or tea.

Preparation - Long Method

1. Heat a pan on Medium-low flame, and melt butter or ghee of your choice.
2. Add nuts and roast well then add grated coconut, melted palm sugar together with cardamom powder. Combine it well and let it start to boil a bit. At this stage, the mixture will have a sticky texture. Add more melted palm sugar if need.
3. Add rice flakes and combine well and enjoy the gooey warm snack with a cup of coffee or tea.

Notes

• Refrigerate the left Rice flakes snacks in a tight container for 2–3 days.
• Microwave it before consuming it.

Originally published in Medium