Aval Nanachathu

 Aval Nanachathu / Phovu Kalleilo

Aval Nanachthu is an essential part of all auspicious festivities in Konkani cuisine. Be it wedding, engagement, cradle ceremony, temple festivals  etc.  phovu kalleilo is inevitable.

Aval nanachathu is best with red phoha. But if the red phoha is not available white phoha can also be used.

Ingredients 

(The reference here of Aval, Avil, Phovu, Phoha is the quintessential flattened rice available in India, preferably of red variety)

Here’s the basic recipe. Ingredients may be varied, based on ones taste. Find here the instructions of melted and sieved jaggery.

500 g phoha (red aval or white aval)

1 medium sized mature coconut (joonu narlu), finely grated

250 g to 300 g melted and melted and sieved jaggery (the jaggery should contain only minimum moisture – preferably as dry as possible)

2 tablespoon ghee

3 tablespoon Channa dal (split and polished Bengal gram)

3 tablespoon moong dal (Split and polished yellow gram)

3 tablespoon white til (white whole sesame seeds)

1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder

2 tablespoon melted ghee

2 tablespoon sugar (bigger the granules, better)

Method

Soak sesame seeds in ¼ cup (50 ml) water for half an hour and drain out water. Spread sesame seeds  on a kitchen towel for drying. Keep aside.

Heat ghee in a small frying pan / kadai on medium heat. Gently fry channa dal, moong dal and til seeds  separately  until crisp and golden color. Remove and keep aside.

Melt ghee and keep aside.

Clean phoha and remove dirt and impurities (phovu assunu dovoruka). Please do not soak it in water and ensure free from moisture.

In a wide bowl (to enable proper mixing – the mixing could be difficult in a small vessel), mix cleaned phoha gently with grated coconut with fingers at least for 15 minutes till phoha softens a bit. The quantity will reduced when mixed with grated coconut.  Do not sprinkle water / wet your hands / fingers with water.

Gradually add melted and sieved jaggery in  low quantities till even consistency (ensuring required taste and flavour). Mix with fingers. Do not add excessive amount of jaggery. One may not get the right taste, if jaggery is added in more than required amounts.

Now add fried channa dal, moong dal,  til seeds and melted ghee. Sprinkle cardamom powder.  Mix gently with a thick serving spoon. 

When it is mixed well and ready to be served, sprinkle 2 tablespoon of sugar on top of the phovu. Phovu kalleilo is ready to be served now. Keep it overnight, and it will taste better.

( Caution: Presence of moisture will make the Phovu mixture to get spoilt quickly. Hence, at each stage, ensure all ingredients are free from moisture and the coconut is mature – and not tender).