Kozhukkatta recipe with step by step photos

Kozhukatta is a breakfast item for many of us, But it is always an evening snack for me and my family. Kozhukatta brings memories of my happiest childhood school days. My late uncle was a great fan of this type of jaggery based dishes. So it was one of the very common evening snack of our home in that time. My aunt is an expert in jaggery based dishes.

Anyway, now it is my turn, my kids also love this sweet dumplings. So I make quite often, at least once in a week, and of course it is a healthy snack right????????? First of all, I will give you a detailed description.

Kozhukkatta recipe | Sweet kozhukatta recipe | How to make south Indian kozhukkatta at home

Rice dumplings with sweet filling

Preparation time: 10 minutes | Cooking time: 20 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup rice flour
80 grams jaggery
¾ cup coconut
1 teaspoon ghee
2 to 3 crushed cardamom
salt to taste.

kozhukatta with step by step pictures

As a first step, we will prepare the filling, for that we have to prepare the jaggery syrup. Take a thick-bottomed pan, add jaggery crushed, not in balls, crush it a little bit as it will improve melting.
Keep the pan on fire on medium flame, (not on high flame because the water will reduce quickly and the jaggery will not melt.) and stir it occasionally and keep on boiling until the jaggery melts completely. Once the jaggery syrup is ready, strain it. (After melting, it will be around 1/2 cups. Sometimes, jaggery contains some sugar cane debris and sand, that is why I am suggesting you to strain it.)
Once the jaggery syrup is ready, we will make the filling. For that, heat , jaggery syrup, ¾ coconut and 1 teaspoon ghee in a pan on low medium flame until the liquid is reduced. The syrup will bubble and then gradually it will reduce and will dry up. I have given all the three photos here. Also, you have to stir it in between to avoid overflow of the syrup.
Now we can add the cardamom either crushed or powdered. If you have cardamom essence, use one or two drops of it. Anyway, I am using crushed one.
Mix well and boil for some more time till all the liquid evaporates. Leave it to cool down.
Now we will prepare the dough, for that boil 1 cup of water with enough salt.
Add this water in the rice flour little by little with continuous stirring until we get a non-sticky dough in idiyappam consistency ( Idiyappam consistency means, it should not be hard or watery, we need a non-sticky dough).
Wait for few minutes till it warm enough to handle. Knead it gently until the dough became soft.
Make medium sized balls out of this dough.
Now Make a small well at the center ( as in the photo) by gently pressing the dough inwards. Never flatten, we have to roll it back, and the ball will now look like a small cup.
Place one teaspoon of the filling.
Now fold the edges towards the center
roll into a ball.
Do the same with all dough. Now steam these kozhukattas in appachembu or steamer for 7-8 minutes. Wait till it cool down That is it.