Sanoli's Kitchen

Monday, February 18, 2013

PAAL KOZHUKATTAI / KOLLUKATTAI (MODAKS IN CREAMY COCONUT SAUCE) - SNC CHALLENGE

South vs North Challenge is a brain-child of Divya Pramil of You too can cook Indian Food. This event started and organised by our lovely friend Divya Pramil. A great going event where recipe exchanges and two teams challenge each other with their authentic regional recipes. Each team gets the time of full month to prepare the recipe and publish on their spaces. Hats off to Divya for this great idea! Wish to join in SNC, no further delay, just mail to divya.pramil@gmail.com

This month Tamilarasi Sasikumar challenged Northern Team a yummy traditional dessert of Tamil Nadu, Paal Kozhukattai / Kollukattai and I have challenged Southern Team with a great Bengali delicacy, Green Peas Kachori with Spicy Dum Aloo.
For celebrating Valentine's Day, Pari of Foodelicious and CupoNation have organised a wonderful event as well as giveaway. Friends do participate by clicking Foodelicious's link above.

Paal kozhukattai is a traditional dish of Tamil Nadu. This is one of authentic chettinad recipes belonging to Karaikudi, which is a big hit in our family. Usually or traditionally thengai paal kozhukattai and sundal are made on Ganesha Chaturthi, offered to Lord Ganesha on that auspicious day. Actually, this is a festive food, which can be offered as neivedhyam to God. It is prepared in many ways, some use jaggery as a sweetner and some use sugar. Some use normal milk and some use coconut milk. The richness in the coconut milk with sugar, making the sauce so delicious, when small balls soaked in this sauce, truelly a delightful combination. I am very happy with this yummilicious dessert that I made, and everyone of my family liked as well as relished it too much. So, guess that's a bit of success for me.

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 Cup Raw Rice Flour
2/3 Cup Sugar
Coconut half Portion (grated)
3 Cardamoms
Salt to taste (I used 1/3 tsp)
Warm Water as required
Few Strands of Saffron (for garnishing & flavor)

METHOD:
Dry roast cardamoms.

Pound cardamoms coarsely in pestle and mortar. Set aside.

In a wide bowl, take raw rice flour, salt and use enough warm water to knead a smooth dough (like chapathi dough).

Keep covered with a wet cloth, until use to prevent it from drying. (Don't make rice flour dough hard, else it will hard to roll kozhukattai. If you made it sticky, can cover it with a cotton cloth to absorb the excess water from it)

Spread a cotton towel or a dhoti, grease hands with little ghee or oil, form small tiny balls or cylindrical shape (it is the traditional shape) from the smooth dough. Repeat the process to form all the balls and set aside on the cotton towel or dhoti. Allow the rice balls to dry in the room temperature and it will take 2 hours.

Now grind grated coconut with warm water.

Extract 1 cup thick coconut milk from it.

Grind again by adding more warm water to the coconut and extract 2 cups of diluted coconut milk from it. (You can use packed, dilute it for first process)

Now heat 2 cups of diluted or thin coconut milk in a heavy bottomed vessel and bring it to a boil. (Keep stirring, it may overflow now)

Add half of the rolled tiny rice balls and wait for 2 minutes until the milk boils again. Add the remaining balls now. Boil for 3-4 minutes on medium flame or until the balls float on the top. (It denotes they are cooked now)

Stir with a ladle occassionally, not frequently to avoid sticking.

Add sugar and mix nicely, until sugar gets dissolved. Allow it to boil for another 8-10 minutes to get a thick consistency, add cardamom powder now. Stir in between to avoid burning.

Now add the thick coconut milk in it and give a nice stir.

Immediately switch off the heat. Mix nicely. (Paal kozhukattai gets thickened after cooling)

Spinkle strands of saffron on the top to enhance the aroma and flavor of it. Serve hot or chilled as you wish. Enjoy this yummy delightful sweet.

TIPS: Some like to add jaggery in the place of sugar. Don't add jaggery directly to the milk when it is over the flame, it may curdle the milk. Strain jaggery syrup to remove impurities and then add to the coconut milk.

Kozhukattais will not get fully cooked in coconut milk, so add atleast half coconut milk and half water atleast to make a diluted coconut milk first. Some even cooked kozhukattai in water, then add it to milky sauce to cook in better way. But I prefer to cook it in diluted coconut milk, as it is well blended with the sauce.

The kozhukattais or balls do taste little bland, but if you reduce the size and make tiny balls, it will help the balls to absorb more sugar inside and also will get cooked faster.

Instead of making balls, may add the dough in murukku press and press it to get nice small cylindrical shaped, but I prefer tiny balls, would look so cute for the pics... :)

I am very happy with this yummilicious dessert that I made, and everyone of my family liked as well as relished it too much. Thank you so much Tamilarasi Sasikumar to teach me this traditional and very delightful dessert recipe.

Thank you so much Divya Pramil to give me this great opportunity on SNC.

Linking to: Tamil's & Divya's space