Sweet Thengai Aval/ Sweet Coconut Poha
This dish again, very simple yet divine. When we were fresher’s a company in India, sponsored bunch of us for a Software degree from Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh and we used to stay in downtown Pittsburgh .From there we used to take the city bus to commute to the college. Very commute friendly and never had the need for a car. Inside the campus there is a desi grocery store, subsidized stationery shop for students etc. Those were the days ‘earn and study ‘, the income used to be meager just to meet our weekly needs .We will find all possibilities to reduce our expenses .To our rescue the cafe in the famous Srinivasar temple there, sells food for very subsidized rates for Devotees, $1 for a bowl of Sambar Rice (Note: Anyone who visited Pittsburgh temple never ever will forget the taste and aroma of that Sambar Rice) and we will make a trip almost every day.
For me, double purpose solved being brought up in a typical Iyengar home, am used to visiting temple almost every other day, so my perumal darshan and food is done at one place. Coming to the point aval/poha is one ingredient which is healthy, reasonably priced, easy to make and will get in bulk. Used to make this dish quiet often and my roommates relished it .Well, now my husband is ardent lover of this dish for the taste and simplicity.
Epic Story believed -Lord Krishna’s friend Sudhama and his family were living in poverty and when Krishna visited him once, he offered Aval with Sugar and the contended Krishna blessed him with kingdom of wealth.
In southern India during Krishna Jayanthi (janmashtami) folks offer a dish made of aval/Poha along with other Prasadams to gain prosperity.
Pittsburgh weather is very sporadic and I must thank our desi professors for the car trips they had helped us with. It’s time to dive in to the recipe.
Ingredients
Thick Flattened Poha 1 cup
Fresh Coconut Grated ¼ Cup
Cardamom Pod Powdered 2 (According to your taste)
Sugar/Jaggery 5Tsps (According to your taste)
Method
1. Wash poha 2-3 times, drain the water well and leave it for 5minutes for the poha to absorb all the remaining water.
2. Few minutes later the poha will turn soft.
3.Add the grated coconut, sugar/jaggery, powdered cardamom.
4. Mix well and enjoy
Note: Do not soak the poha in water, will become soggy and won’t taste good.
