If you would like to start from scratch and make your own rice flour, then wash and soak about 1 3/4 cups of raw rice in water for 5 hours. Drain the water, and spread the rice on a clean, dry cotton kitchen towel so that moisture is removed further (about 15 to 20 minutes). Now powder the rice in a mixer/ blender to an almost fine powder. Sieve to remove the larger pieces of rice, and run this again to desired coarseness. The rice powder should feel gritty between your fingers yet be quite fine to the eyes.

In a large bowl, using your hand and fingers, rub and mix the flour and coconut together. This is so that the moistness of the coconut is released into the flour. Add the salt and mix well and keep covered for about half an hour. This time ensures that the rice flour absorbs the moisture released by the coconut. The flour will not be visibly wet, though.

Heat a wok and lightly roast, but do not brown the cumin seeds till they release an aroma. Emty out the cumin seeds into a mortar and lightly crush them. Keep aside. Similarly, lightly roast the sesame seeds till the puff up and pop (do not brown) and keep aside, but do not crush.

In the same wok, put the flour-coconut powder, and over medium heat while stirring frequently, roast until the mixture gives off an aroma and turns a very light brown. Do not let the mixture brown beyond this point. This process will take some time, upto almost half an hour, and patience is required to get it just done.

Just before the Avalose Podi is taken off the heat add the crushed cumin seeds and the sesame seeds. Stir a couple of times and then take the Avalose Podi off the heat. Use your spatula/ spoon to break any lumps that might have formed while roasting the Avalose Podi. Otherwise use your fingers to do this once it has cooled down. Otherwise just run the Avalose Podi, lumps and all, a couple of times in your mixer/ blender to give it a smoother finish.

Let it cool completely and then transfer to an airtight container. This will keep for upto 6 months! This recipe makes 3 cups of Avalose Podi.

For Avalose Unda:

If your jaggery needs to be cleaned, put the powdered jaggery and water together in a bowl. Stir till the jaggery till it dissolves completely. Let it stand for about 10 minutes so the impurities settle at the bottom. Decant the liquid for use.

Take the saucepan off the heat and add the ghee and cardamom powder and mix. Add this syrup to the Avalose Podi and stir with a wooden spoon. It will appear somewhat crumbly/ lumpy but when you take a fistful and try to shape it, it will hold its shape.

Lightly grease your palms with oil/ ghee. While the mixture is still quite hot but comfortable to handle, take fistfuls of the mixture and shape into small round balls, about the size of small lemons/ limes, working quickly.

Roll the Avalose Unda in the 1/4 cup fine Avalose Podi (from the first set of steps above) and place on a plate. Repeat until the mixture is used up. Store the Avalose Unda in airtight containers.