Aval Milk or Avil Milk is a popular drink sold in the buzzing streets of the Malabar region of Kerala. The tall glass of simple aval milk is made with rice flakes or beaten rice along with ripe bananas, milk of any kind and nuts. But you don't have to stop there! This is a canvas that you can paint with whatever you love to see in it.
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my first aval milk
I never thought of blogging this avil milk recipe because there are a million ways to make it, so restricting it to a recipe is not fair. Also, let me confess, I have not had aval milk from the streets because I grew up in Coimbatore and the first time I heard about this was on a Facebook group. I made that version of aval milk with grated apple (in the linked image, the two glasses behind my bread pockets were my first aval milk attempt)
This is the easiest cold dinner (don’t judge) that we are happy to have even on a weekend.
aval milk as a meal
You read it right! Yes, we started having it as a "meal" mostly for early dinner. Why not??? Imagine roasted rice flakes, a lot of freshly chopped seasonal fruits or just some ripe banana, any kind of milk, and some homemade granola for the crunch - you have a light meal and a refreshing summer drink in a tall glass! 😆
Now, you can make this aval milk recipe into a dessert by adding a dollop of ice cream or a drizzle of roohafza or vimto or chocolate syrup and a lot of nuts and sweetener and there you have a "falooda" like dessert in a fancy tall glass! So you get the drill, right?
I somehow started the trend when I shared a lousy picture of my colourfully "packed" aval milk on Instagram in 2018! And surprisingly even today I have readers searching for this on the blog. So I put up all my aval milk trials on Instagram highlights and will continue to add to it. But still, I have "aval milk" on top of the chart of searched terms so here I am making a space for aval milk in Butfirstchai. 😎 but not very happy with the images here... I am horrible at capturing beverages, and this is my best version of all! 🤣
Ingredients for avil milk recipe
- Aval: rice flakes/poha/beaten rice. Preferably use the thick version. There are thin and airy flakes that may dissolve too soon.
- Ghee or butter: This is optional but makes it tastier and filling. Use it to toast the aval and nuts.
- Banana: any ripe banana will work. Mash it using a fork.
- Milk: Use chilled. You may use laban, coconut milk, almond milk, cashew milk, etc
- a pinch of cardamom powder or cinnamon powder (this is to flavour the milk)
- Roasted nuts: peanuts, cashews, almonds, etc.
- Sweetener: as per taste you can use honey, stevia, sugar. etc
How to make aval milk?
First, roast the rice flakes with or without ghee/butter. Thanks to Rafeeda for the idea of roasting the flakes in ghee which means making it even more full-filling for a meal. Roast the nuts if not roasted already. Mash the bananas with a fork. Chop up any other seasonal fruits if used. Make sure the milk you want to use is chilled. Assemble all in a tall glass and stir and eat or drink!
The measurements are just for a guide. You can adjust it as per your taste or as per the serving glass size.
📖 Recipe
Aval Milk | Rice Flakes Milk | Poha Milk
Ingredients
- ½ cup thick aval rice flakes/poha/beaten rice
- 2 teaspoon ghee optional
- 1 large ripe banana mashed
- 1 cup milk chilled (you may use laban, coconut milk, almond milk, cashew milk, etc)
- 1 pinch cardamom powder this is to flavour the milk
- handful roasted nuts of choice
- sweetener of choice as per taste (honey, stevia, sugar, etc.)
Optional additions
- protein powder mix with milk
- seasonal fruits or berries
- bloomed basil seeds sabja
- dates apricot, raisins, figs etc
- homemade granola
- ice cream scoop
Instructions
- Heat a shallow pan on low flame and add ghee if using else dry roast the rice flakes for a few minutes or until crispy. Remove and keep aside. You may roast the nuts too.
- Add the mashed banana equally into the serving cups.
- Top the mashed bananas with some roasted nuts and any other fruits or dried fruits if used.
- Next, top that with the roasted rice flakes.
- Stir in the cardamom powder or cinnamon powder to the milk and pour the chilled milk.
- Top with some more nuts or granola and serve immediately.
- Stir, scoop and eat.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!