It is Thai Maasam , and it is a default custom in my family to make this Vella Kozhukkattai on any one of the Fridays. Though this month has 5 fridays, I just wanted to finish it off as soon as possible. All the Amman temples will be flooded this month, with people making Maavilakku, Kozhukkattai, pongal and some, making Koozhu.
I dedicate this post to our Family Deity (Kula Deivam) in Tanjore.
Yaa Devi Sarva Bhuteshu, Maatru roopena Samsthitha
Namas tasyai, namas tasyai, namas tasyai namo namaha.
(I salute the Devi again and again, who resides in all beings in the form of The Mother.)
Ingredients
For the Vella Poornam:
Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Paagu Vellam (Jaggery ) -1/2 cup - 2 tsps
Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
Ghee - 1 tsp
Ingredients for the Dough
Store bought Kozhukkattai flour - 3/4 cup
Water - 1 cup
A pinch of salt
Gingeley oil - 1tsp
Gingely oil - 2-3 tsps(to grease your hands and to add some for the dough)
Yields 11 Kozhukkattais.
Poornam preparation
Melt the jaggery with 1/4 cup water, strain and check for impurities.
In another pan, keep the grated coconut and cardamom powder ready.
Pour the filtered jaggery syrup on top, and start stirring.
When it starts leaving the sides, add 1 tsp ghee and switch off. The poornam should neither be too thick and hard nor too soft.
This is how it should be. Should be able to scoop it out.
Dough preparation
Keep the measured water in a pan, with 1 tsp of gingely oil
When it starts boiling, switch off, then gradually add the flour and keep stirring. This can be done the other way too. You can have the flour in another pan, pour boiling water to the flour, mix it with a spatula, and bring it to a soft chapathi dough consistency.
Close with a lid, and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Put the dough in a pan.
After adding 1 tsp of oil and some more water (if needed), knead it to a fine dough...and...
cover with a wet cloth, so that the dough will not become dry.
Make a choppu (a small cup like thing) by pressing the corners first, then the centre, so that it will shape into a cup
Keep a spoon of poornam inside, and close the choppu with a thin, sharp nose.
Before steaming
With the remaining dough, I made some ammini kozhukkattais. This picture below is after 12 minutes steaming
This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com
Notes
*May be, the coconut was too tender. It did not yield much poornam, and I got just 11 kozhukkattais.
*Over steaming makes the kozhukkattais hard. Just 12 minutes. And, they must be taken out only after they cool down. Otherwise, they will break. So, it is better to grease 2 plates, leave one with steamed kozhukkattais to cool down, and keep the other loaded one to cook inside.
*Raw rice can be soaked, ground, and stirred into a dough and made too. I did not have the time, so, I chose to follow this method. Of course, grinding at home yields the softest Kozhukkattais.
*Earlier days, I used to grind the flour in a rice mill, once it got mixed with some wheat flour and the whole thing got spoilt, and hence, I am scared to do that.
*we can soak, spread and dry the rice, then grind in the blender at home also, but when you sieve, lot of flour is wasted.
I have never tried making kozhukattai by myself as my mom and Mother- in law are such experts. But after this recipe was posted, I was emboldened to try it out and the measurements turned out to be perfect. So, this varalakshmi viratham ,my family were treated to wonderful vella kozhukattai's courtesy of your blog. I was ecstatic !!!! Can you also post the recipe for ammini kozhakattai please ?
ReplyDeleteThe steps given are easy to follow and understand. Looks easy and delightful! This maavu available is the stores is such a welcome alternative instead of more eloberate process of making from the sctrach. Must try this .
ReplyDeleteLooks tempting !!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Usha for your comment
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