INIPU POORANAM KOZHUKATTAI

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Kozhukattai is a Traditional South Indian steamed dumpling made with a soft-rice flour dough and filled either with sweet or savoury stuffing. It is popular in Tamil Nadu and is traditionally prepared during festivals, especially during Vinayagar Chaturthi.

Inipu pooranam kozhukattai is the most popular sweet version of kozhukattai. It is made with a soft, steamed rice flour outer covering and a delicious pooranam (sweet filling) made from grated coconut and jaggery. The filling is delicately flavoured with cardamom, giving it a warm and aromatic taste.

Inipu pooranam kozhukattai has a soft and tender texture on the outside with a moist, mildly chewy and richly sweet filling inside. It is commonly served as a evening snack.

ABOUT THE RECIPE:

Inipu pooranam kozhukattai is traditionally prepared during festivals, especially during Vinayagar Chaturthi. The traditional kozhukattai shape is usually small, elongated dumpling with pleated or pinched edges, often resembling a little pyramid or teardrop. We usually make them in three different shapes.

Traditionally, inipu pooranam kozhukattai is shaped using hands. But, it can also be shaped using kozhukattai moulds for uniform shape and size.

INGREDIENTS FOR INIPU POORANAM KOZHUKATTAI:

FOR OUTER DOUGH:

• RICE FLOUR – 500 GMS
• OIL – 2 TBSP
• SALT – AS REQUIRED
• WATER – 250~300 ML

FOR STUFFING:

• COCONUT (GRATED) – 2.5~3 CUPS
• JAGGERY (POWDER/GRATED) – 250 GMS
• GHEE – 1 TBSP
• CARDAMOM POWDER – 1/2 TSP

HOW TO MAKE INIPU POORANAM KOZHUKATTAI:

HOW TO MAKE RICE FLOUR:

• Wash and soak 1 kg of raw rice in water for about 1 hour.

• After about 1 hour, drain the water and spread the soaked rice over a clean muslin cloth.

• Let it dry completely. Once the rice is completely dry, blend it to a fine powder. We usually take it to the mill for grinding.
• After grinding to a fine powder, it is slightly dry roasted before use. It is commonly done at the mill. Or, it can also be easily done at home.

RICE FLOUR IS READY.

HOW TO MAKE THE OUTER DOUGH:

• Boil 250~300 ml of water, along with required salt and 2 tbsp of oil. It should boil for at least 2 to 3 minutes.

• Add 500 gms of rice flour to a large heat resistant mixing bowl.

• After about 2 to 3 minutes, turn OFF the flame.
• Add little water at a time to the rice flour, and mix it really well using a spatula. It doesn’t have to be kneaded to a dough.

• It should be slightly thick. Do not make it watery. It should have a dough consistency, when mixed. Once it reaches the dough consistency, cover it and let it rest for about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Gently knead it after about 10 to 15 minutes. Always, keep the dough covered, as it might turn hard easily.

HOW TO MAKE THE STUFFING:

• Heat a kadai, and add 1 tbsp of ghee to it. Maintain the flame at medium-low.

• Once the ghee is melted add the grated coconut to it.

• Roast the coconut until it turns light golden brown in color.

• Once it starts to turn light golden brown in color, add the cardamom powder to it.

• Also, add the jaggery powder to it.

• Mix it really well, and cook it on medium-low flame, until it thickens.

• Once it thickens, turn OFF the flame. Let it cool down completely.

HOW TO SHAPE INIPU POORANAM KOZHUKATTAI:

• Apply little oil to the hands, and roll little portion of the dough between the palm. Keep the remaining dough covered.
• Then flatten the dough. It should have a medium thickness, and shouldn’t be too thick or too thin.

• Add 1 tbsp of the prepared pooranam to the flattened dough.

• Cover it and shape the dough. I’ve shaped it into 3 different shapes.

• It can also be shaped using kozhukattai moulds.

• Place the shaped kozhukattai onto the steamer plate. Do not over crowd. Steam them in batches.

• Add 2 to 3 cups of water to the steamer. Place the steamer plate into the steamer, cover it and cook it on medium-high flame for 12 to 15 minutes.

• After about 12~15 minutes, turn OFF the flame, and open the lid.

YUMMY AND DELICIOUS INIPU POORANAM KOZHUKATTAI IS READY. SERVE IT WHILE IT IS STILL WARM.

VARIATIONS:

• Store bought rice flour or kozhukattai flour can also be used for this recipe.
• Grated jaggery ball or jaggery powder can be used. Jaggery ball might have impurities in it. To remove the impurities, add the grated jaggery to a cooking pot along with 2~3 tbsp of water. Cook it on medium-high flame until it melts completely, and then filter it.
• It can either be shaped using hands or using kozhukattai moulds. Make sure to apply oil to the hands and moulds before adding the flour.

PRO TIPS:

• The water should be really hot. It should boil for at least 2 to 3 minutes.
• Boil the water along with salt and oil. This helps to give the perfect non-sticky texture for the dough.
• Add the water to the flour while it’s still hot. Mix it using the spatula. cover it and rest it for 10 to 15 minutes, and then knead it using the hands.
• Roast the grated coconut in ghee, until it turns light golden brown before adding the jaggery.
• Turn OFF the flame, only when the grated coconut and the jaggery thickens. It can’t be used as a stuffing when it has a liquid consistency.
• Apply oil to the palm before shaping the dough. The dough has a slight sticky consistency, and might be tricky while shaping.
• Always keep the dough covered. It might turn hard easily.
• The flattened dough should be slightly thick. The dough might break, while steaming if the dough is too thin. The kozhukattai can be too chewy, if the dough is too thick.
• Place the kozhukattai on the steamer plate in a single layer. Do not overcrowd.