ATHIRASA

Ingredients:

Rice Flour- 1 cup
Coconut freshly grated- 2 Tbspn
Jaggery- 1 cup
Cardamom powder- 1/2 Tspn
Pepper corns- Few coarsely crushed
Sesame seeds- 1 Tspn
Banana- 1 small well riped and smashed
Ghee- 4 Tspn
Oil for deep-frying

Method:
In a vessel, put the jaggery & pour ¼ cup of water and mix well and cook on gas.
When the jaggery completely melts, strain it in a muslin cloth. ( this is to remove any dirt particles)
Now in a heavy bottom vessel, add this jaggery and boil till the syrup turns into a soft ball. ( you may test this by dropping it in cold water)
To this, add grated coconut, cardamom, pepper, banana, and the rice flour. Switch off the flame
Mix this well, stirring continuously till it becomes like a ball.
Remove it from the vessel & place it on a greased plate. Pour ghee on to this, and let it cool for 20 to 30 mnts.
Now make a small ball shape out of this, flatten them on a greased plastic sheet or on a banana leaf.
Heat oil in a pan and deep-fry the Athirasa to a nice brown colour.