Ellu Kozhukattai | Black Sesame Kozhukattai Recipe

Ellu Kozhukattai Recipe

Kozhukattai / rice dumpling is a famous South Indian snack item. I used wait for the festival seasons to get these steamed beauties from the next door neighbor and immediately gobble few ;-) although Amma used to say don't be so greedy I can make you some at home. The day never happened, so this time when I was home I pulled Amma to make kozhukattai for me and I tell you this is like a childhood food wish. I was so excited during the entire process and Amma gave me the messy job of shaping the kozhukattai and I used fancy mold to get them into perfect shapes (sort of). I usually like the sweet version and especially with the black filling (ellu jaggery/ ellu pooranam). The soft outer and the sweet crunchy inner does a marriage of flavor in every bite. You really have to try this to know how good it tastes. I hope to make kozhukattais in my kitchen and properly share my success stories of different version on my blog. 

Easy Kozhukattai Recipe

Black sesame seeds kozhukattai

How to make sweet kozhukattai

ELLU KOZHUKATTAI RECIPE | BLACK SESAME KOZHUKATTAI 

Recipe Source - Own
Serves - 3-4 people 
Makes - 8 medium - large kozhukattai
Prep time - 15 mins
Cook time - 8-10 mins
Serving suggestion - as a snack

Ingredients

Rice flour - 1 cup (readymade idiyappam mix/ kozhukattai mix)
Sesame Oil - 1 tsp
Water - as required
Salt - 1/3 tsp

For the Puranam 

Ellu / black sesame seeds - 1/2 cup
Jaggery powdered - 3/4 cup
Coconut shredded  - 1/4 cup
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Method

1. Wash and soak the black sesame seeds in water for 3-4 times to remove impurities and stead them on a cloth or towel to dry for 10 minutes. 
2. Dry roast the sesame seeds in a dry pan until it starts to pop. Now add jaggery and wait for it to melt and get sticky now add in the cardamom powder and jaggery and mix well. 
3. It will all come together as a mass and start leaving the pan. Take care not to burn them. Switch off and transfer to a plate.
4. Grease your hands and when the sesame mixture is still warm divide them into balls and set aside.

5. To make the rice balls. Take enough water to a saucepan and bring it to boil. Add tsp of sesame oil to this water and it must come to rolling boil stage.
6. Add the flour & salt to a bowl, mix well and once the water comes to rolling boil start adding water little by little and gently mixing the water to the flour using a wooden spatula or spoon.
7. After the mixture is easy to handle grease you hand with oil an knead it gently to a soft dough without giving much pressure (refer notes). 
8. Divide the dough into equal parts and set aside. Keep covered with a damp cloth or a lid.
9. Grease your palms and flatten each of the balls using your thumb into a disk, keep the pooranum or filling in the center of the disk and close it using the flattened dough.
10 If using a mold place the filled kozhukattai into the mold and make a shape. Carefully remove it form the mold and place it in a plate.
11. In the meantime bring water to boil in a cooker or wide deep heavy bottom pan. Place a greased idly plate or a stand on it.
12. Repeat the same for all the kozhukattais and place them on the idly plate and cover the lid without the weight/ wistle. 
13. Let it steam cook for 8-10 minutes until the outer rice flour wrap is transparent and soft.

Ellu Kozhukattai Recipe

COOKS WISDOM

TIP 1

1. While making the rice flour dough be careful to be gentle with the flour. If you give too much pressure the kozhukattais would turn a little hard.

TIP 2

2. Make sure you use well greased hands while shaping the kozhukattai. Also I prefer more filling and less rice flour dough ;-) but you can do either ways.

TIP 3

3. My kozhukattai moulds were bit fat and hence called for more flour and the pooranum / filling was less. So check and get small moulds or simply use your hands to get perfectly shaped kozhukattai. Remember kozhukattai is not about the perfect shape but the taste and flavor. 

TIP 4

4. You can also use idiyappam mix (powder) to make kozhukattai or make homemade rice flour powder. 

TIP 5


5. Kozhukattais stay fresh for a day, consume on the same day either warm or in room temperature. 

TIP 6

6. Always cover the rice flour dough with a damp / wet cloth or a plate and never expose it fully. This helps to retain moisture in the dough and not let it dry up. If you have used less water or kept the dough open for long the kozhukattai will have cracks while shaping.


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