Kozhukattais - Sweet Version

          As today is Ganesh Chathurthi and I made these kozhukattais, I thought it would be apt to post this today. Kozhukattai is a very traditional sweet, sort of like steamed dumplings, the outer layer is with rice flour and the stuffing varies from sweet to savory. I have used the rice flour that my mother prepares, she uses the same flour for idiyappam and puttu, I think I have to do a separate post on how to make that rice flour. I used a chana dal + coconut + jaggery filling, the kozhukattais came out very soft and yummy..

Need To Have
For The Outer Layer

• Rice Flour - 1 cup
• Salt - 1/4 teaspoon
• Oil - 1 teaspoon

For The Filling

• Chana Dal - 1/2 cup
• Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
• Jaggery - 1 cup
• Cardamom - 3

Method

          Boil about 4 cups of water with the salt and oil, adding this little by little, mix the rice flour with a spoon, once you feel you have added enough water to form a dough, remove the spoon, cover and let it cool. Once cold, knead it into a soft dough.

          Pressure cook the chana dal with just enough water ( same time as for cooking rice). Once you open the pressure cooker, mash the chana dal slightly. In a heavy bottom pan, take the chana dal, grated coconut, jaggery and the crushed cardamom, heat it.

          The jaggery starts melting, keep stirring till you get a semi dry filling, let it cool. There are two shapes that we usually do the kozhukattais.

          For the first half-moon shape, you can use a banana leaf or plastic paper, I have used my hand.
Take a lemon size ball, flatten it on your palm or on the leaf or on the plastic paper (apply little oil).

          Place the filling, close it like a half moon and press the edges slightly.

           For the second shape, take a ball slightly smaller than a lemon, shape it with your fingers like a small cup.

          Place the filling, bring it together and close it.

          Arrange in a steamer and steam for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and serve.

Note
For those living in countries outside India, you can use the rice flour that you get in the Indian grocery stores.
Once the kozhukattais are cooked, they have a shiny look.
You won't be using the entire 4 cups of water for making the outer dough.
If you have excess water in the cooked chana dal, drain it and mash it.
These taste best the same day, you can refrigerate them but then the outer layer becomes hard, doesn't become soft like on the first day, even if you warm them.