Tikhashe Fov (तिखशे फोव)

Tikhashe Fov is a Goan dry snack prepared during Diwali festival. Tikhashe means pungent and fov means rice flakes (poha). Puffed/ fried rice flakes are coated with a mixture of melted jaggery, chilly powder, salt, nuts, coconut and asafoetida. Roasted chana dal and ginger may also be used, which I have avoided. The prominent flavour is of shankar chhap hing (special asafoetida available in Goa). There could be a slight variation in the spice mix used from household to household.

Rice flakes are deep fried and then the further procedure is carried  out. Alternately, puffed rice flakes can be used. Puffed rice flakes are readily available in the market during the season, as these are used for making chivda and most importantly it is fat free. The jaggery used for it is a of a special kind called chikki gul / goad, which is more sticky in nature. Even if it is grated, it will form a ball again.

I always use puffed rice flakes  and  do not deep fry the them. They taste best when consumed with 10 to 15 days, later they lose the crispiness and stringiness. Here goes the recipe.

Ingredients

1. Puffed rice flakes – 150 gm
2. Jaggery (chikkigul) – 400 gm
3. Peanuts (roasted & peeled) – 100 gm
4. Cashew nuts (chopped) – 50 gm or as per your requirement
5. Chilly powder – 1 1/4 tsp or as per your requirement
6. Coconut (scrapped) – 3 tbsp
7. Shankar chhap hing – 1 small piece (as the size of 50 paise coin)
8. Peppercorns – 12
9. Oil – 1 tsp
10. Ghee – 2 tsp
11. Salt – 1/3 tsp

Procedure

• Heat oil in tempering pan and fry peppercorns. keep aside.
• Now, fry shankar chhap hing and keep aside.
• Powder the peppercorns and shankar chhap hing separately with the help of mortar and pestle. Keep aside.
• Dry roast coconut on low flame, keep turning. It should be roasted till it turns light golden brown and gives out nice aroma. Keep it aside.
• Heat ghee in a thick bottomed pan or kadai and  add jaggery. Let the jaggery melt. Keep stirring. Once it melts, let it simmer for  3 to 5 min. (For testing the consistency of the syrup, take 1/4 cup of water and leave a drop of the mixture into it. It should form a sticky  ball and form strings when pulled, but not crisp or hard. If you feel it is hard, then add little water and cook for a few seconds.) Take it off the fire.
• Add salt and chilly powder, stir well. (If you are adding ginger, then it should be added at this stage.)
• Add peanuts, cashew nuts and coconut, stir well. (If you are adding roasted chana dal, then add it here.)
• Add crushed shankar chhap hing and pepper.
• Add puffed rice flakes and mix gently.
• Make ladoos immediately, let them cool and transfer them to an air tight container.

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