Kozhukkatta ( kerala`s sweet rice dumplings)

Live your life!! Enjoy the tranquillity of nature and life. I love snowing!! So far we had few snowy days in Manchester. Snow is a change of scenery. It’s like nature’s costume party. Everything looks so different and magical when it’s covered in snow. If you observe the nature and its surroundings close, they will tell you which stories you need to write, say and do. This generates the creativity in you. “Creativity is just connecting things”

Enjoy the beauty of life, make most of it!! If you want some tips for loving and living your life please visit siva @ shivasponder. He is so amazing in his writings and poems.

Foods that keep you warm, keep them handy as winter is here! As the temperatures begin to drop, sleeping in cozy blankets and dressing up in warm jackets won’t be enough. Try something different which makes you warm and happy.

I have always noticed when it comes to the language of Food, the borders of various countries start thinning considerably. There is always some kind of connection to some food you can relate to from region to region. The ingredient might differ a little, the look sort of and taste could be same. So if you are aware of the Japanese Mochi  then this Indian Sweet referred to as “Modak” in Hindi , “Kozhukatta” in Malayalam which is a dumpling with assorted fillings will ring a bell. We use regular rice flour with jaggery-coconut filling. The cover is then stuffed with this filling and steamed.

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Kozhukattai/ Modak

Preparation time – 30 Minutes
Serves – 4 Persons
cooking time – 10 minutes

Ingredients

Rice flour – 1 1/2 cup
Grated coconut – 1½ cup
Jaggery syrup 1 ½ cup
Cardamom powder – 1 tsp
Ghee – 1 tsp
Water – 1 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Method

1)   Boil the water and add ghee and salt.

2) In a bowl put the sieved rice powder and add the boiled water into it and knead well to make smooth dough, without lumps.
3) Make big lemon sized balls out of this dough and keep it aside covering with a muslin cloth to keep them moist.
4) Heat a thick bottomed sauce pan, add a spoon of oil / ghee and mix the grated coconut and cardamom powder.
5) Sautee it for some time and pour in the jaggery syrup.
6) Keep it over the flame till it gets dry with constant stirring.
7) Switch off the flame and keep it aside. Spread a little oil on your palm and take a ball of dough and flatten it slightly

8) Put a spoonful of the mixture in this and secure all the sides and roll lightly.
9) Prepare the entire balls using the rest of the dough.
10) Steam the kozhukkattas in a steamer till done and serve them warm.