We Sri Lankans celebrate New year in April. It is the time that all traditional sweets get more attention in New year table. Today I made Aluwa, a Sri Lankan traditional sweet make with rice flour. Usually Aluwa is delicious when it is cooked with treacle. In this recipe, I used sugar. Still it is good in taste. I have a plan to share some traditional Sri Lankan sweets for this New year. So,I will post another with coconut treacle if I get time to make Aluwa.
Aluwa -A Sri Lankan Traditional Sweet
Anyway, my baby son only gave me one hour. So, I couldn’t give the final touch as I wanted. It took long time for me to find the recipe. I checked few Aluwa recipes online and one in a recipe book. Finally this recipe came out using the quantities from a cookbook I bought few years ago. The recipe calls for 1 kg rice flour. Here I tried a small quantity and could achieve around 15 pieces.(quantity depend on the size of a piece)
Ah this is my first time of making Aluwa. So, please ignore the little mistakes because I am so happy with the achievement but not happy with the appearance.
I have excuses for the little mistakes.
Did you notice the mistakes in these Aluwa pieces?
There were few odd shaped pieces, not all are diagonal shaped-Traditionally Aluwa is diagonal in shape. So, if we can use a rectangular tray and spread evenly,it is easy to get most of the pieces into diagonal. Ha,I have an excuse. My son started screaming while I was spreading the mix. So I had to go to him & knew he was about to wake up.
The surface is not smooth. But it is easy to make the surface smooth. Use some oil on hand and press it evenly and make the surface smooth. Again my son wake up and wanted me.
The pieces are in different sizes. Yes,it is nice if I could cut the pieces nicely into same size.Ha,I wanted to cut this fast and run to the baby who was crying. So,please pardon me.Aluwa is smooth,soft and good in taste other than the appearance.
Try this for this April Sinhala & Hindu New year. Don’t forget to let me know how it comes out.
Aluwa -A Sri Lankan Traditional Sweet
Ingredients: (for 12 – 15 pieces)
2 Cups rice flour  (or 200g)
1 cup rice flour for lining and coating of Aluwa
1 1/2 cups of sugar (or 200g)
1 cup of water
2-3 cardamoms
1 tspn cumin seeds (optional)
2-3 cloves (optional)
Pinch of cinnamon powder (optional)
½ cup  roasted cashew nuts
1 tspn butter
Special utenicil:
A flat tray to spread aluwa
Method:
Sift the rice flour. Then dry roast the rice flour in low heat without burning. Keep it aside.
Grind cardamoms, chop cashews into small pieces. Keep aside.If you like the taste of cloves and cinnamon, grind them too.Anyway,that is as per taste and preferences.
Spread some rice flour on flat tray & keep it ready for the final step.
In a pan add water & sugar. Boil it stirring continuously till the sugar syrup becomes thick. When it is thick, add ground cardamom seeds and chopped cashew nuts.At this time, the syrup should flow continuously like a string. Then add rice flour and butter. Mix well. Remove from heat.Mix again if Aluwa is not mixed well into a dough form.
Then spread Aluwa on the tray lined with rice flour.Make it smooth and flat using a spatula.
Cut it in to diagonal shaped pieces immediately.
Then coat Aluwa with remaining rice flour.
Serve for tea time or for any occasion like Sinhala Hindu New Year
Tip:Â If you feel the final dough is not very smooth, add a little warm water and make it into a soft dough.
22 comments
Hey this looks something intresting …
thanks for sharing 🙂
I love to try my hand at cooking/baking authentic recipes from other countries/cultures. Thank you for sharing!
thanx for shaing ur traditional sweet.Advance new year wishes
Yumm ..that looks delicious dear 🙂 Love it !!
Eventhough u didn’t give a final touch, it looks so delicious and yummy………!
aluwa looks very yumm.. Nice post dear.
Delicious traditional recipe, thanks for sharing. I would love to try it. we have a similar halwa recipe called black halwa.
interesting n looks delicious!!!
Srilankan Aluwa!!!!! Very nice… Don’t worry about the shapes…..
Very different and completely a new aluwa for me… Happy to learn this dish from u.
looks so yummy ..interesting recipe…
Such an interesting recipe…Looks very delicious! I totally agree with you…I always have a hard time cutting the diagonal shape 🙂
The rushing happens to me too. Trying to finish up and other half waiting around hungrily. Lovely sweet and a different version.
it is new to me.. looks great
really interesting sweet dish dear…
interesting and yummy…………..
so irresistible!!
Thank you very much for the recipe. Tried it and it came out well. U also sprinkled some sugar on the top to make it sweeter.
Glad to hear your experience.I am always happy to hear when these recipe posts are helpful for others..Thanks for the tip.I will try it next time,mostly for the coming New Year…
Thank you for lovely recipe. We were fortunate to be given Aluwa by Sri Lankan friends for New Year. Suba Aluth Avuruddhak!
Suba Aluth Avuruddak! Hope you loved the taste of Aluwa… 🙂
My Family Loved it. I am definitely sharing Guys, Thanks For sharing this Great Recipe. this recipe and this website with my friend. Hope they also love it. Thank you again for sharing such a great recipe.