Kozhukattai is one of my favorite snack. Me and my brother grew up eating a lot of this. Mom prepares this during tea time and sometimes for breakfast. I remember having these often when we are back from school.
For dough covering
- Rice flour – 1/2 cup (Idiyappam flour, it is available in Indian grocery store)
- Salt – a pinch
- Water – 1/2 cup + 2 teaspoon
- Coconut oil – 1/2 teaspoon
For Filling
- Fresh grated Coconut – 1/3 cup
- Jaggery crushed – 1/3 cup
- Green Cardamom – 1, crushed well or powdered
You have to,
Prepare the filling
- Add jaggery and 1 tbsp of water to a thick bottom sauce pan
- Heat this in medium to low flame. Stir occasionally
- Once jaggery is completely melted, remove from flame and strain. Discard residue if any.
- Heat a pan in medium flame and add the coconut
- Toss the coconut for few seconds and pour the jaggery syrup.
- Once mix is thickened (all the moisture will be absorbed) add cardamom powder, give a stir and remove from flame. (Make sure the heat is not high. This can get easily burnt)
- After the filling cool enough to touch , divide the mixture to 5 or 7 portions, and make tiny balls..
Prepare dough for covering
- Boil water along with salt and coconut oil in thick bottom sauce pan
- Reduce the flame and add rice powder little by little.
- Mix well and switch off the flame. Leave it closed for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes the dough will be cool enough to touch.
- Knead this to form a smooth dough.
- If dough is sticky, add few drops of coconut oil and continue kneading.
- Once the dough is smooth enough, keep aside closed
Stuff the filling
- Divide the dough to 5 to 7 portions
- Take a dough ball and flatten them to thin small disc or a cup.
- You could not make this with your hand or use a roller pin.
- Edges should be thinner than the middle portion.
- Diameter of the disc can be around 3 to 4 inch.
- Keep the coconut ball in the center of the rice disc
- Bring the edges to the center and pinch.
- It can be shaped to for round ball or a tear drop
Steam the balls
- Grease a steam plate and place the stuffed balls.
- Steam this for 10-15 minutes
- Remove from flame.
- Allow to cool down a bit.
- Serve hot or warm or in room temperature
There are different variations of this. Some with chana dal. And most of the people prepare this during Vinayaka Chaturthy.
See the below picture,
For a nutty crunch, you could add cashew nuts or peanuts in the coconut filling. Chop the cashew nuts in to small piece and fry in ghee till golden brown. Peanuts can be skinned before frying.
Another version of this kozhukattai, which my mom prepares is with coconut and sugar. Even that tastes good… The filling recipe can be found here.
Happy Cooking 🙂
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