Pidi Kozhukkattai – Steamed Sweet and Hot Dumpling

Pidi Kozhukkattai or Steamed Dumpling is one of the tasty South Indian tiffin items. We make both the sweet and hot dumplings. My favourite is the sweet one, of course I have a sweet tooth. The hot dumpling, more or tastes like Upma (another tiffin item) and we even call it as Upma Kozhukkattai (Kozhukkattai means dumpling). The hot dumpling is generally served with Coconut Chutney (a medium hot sauce made of coconut) or you can even eat it by itself. Now, I will tell you how to make these dumplings.

Ingredients:

Sweet Dumpling:

• Rice – 1 cup
• Shredded coconut – 3 tbsp
• Powdered Jaggery – 1 cup
• Cardamom – 2 count
• Water

Method of Preparation:

1. Wash one cup of rice and drain it.
2. Dry the rice in a dry cotton towel or use an old news paper. The rice grains  should be separated and dried.
3. Once the rice is dried, grind it coarsely, smaller than sugar granules.
4. Take half of it and measure the quantity.
5. Steam cook half the ground rice by adding water in the ratio 1:2 (say for 1 cup of rice, two cups of water) in a pressure cooker or electric rice cooker.
6. In the mean time, in another vessel add the powdered jaggery in the ratio 1:1 1/4 (say for 1 cup of powdered rice, 1 1/4 cup of powdered jaggery)  and 1/4 cup of water. Once it is completely dissolved in water, filter the jaggery water to get rid off the dirt.
7. Clean the pan and add the jaggery water and heat it.
8. Add the shredded coconut and powdered cardamom.
9. When it start becoming viscous, add the ground rice and keep on mixing to avoid any lumps.
10. After sometime it will become a thick mixture like kesari (check here).
11. Remove from heat and let it cool.
12. Now make oval shape balls out of it of desired size.
13. Steam cook it in idli plates for 12 minutes.
14. If you do not have an idli plate, keep 5 to 6 balls in a vessel and pressure cook it for 12 minutes. Repeat the same with other balls.
15. Serve hot or warm.

Hot Dumpling:

• Powdered rice – remaining half
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
• Urad dal – 1 tsp
• Dried red chilly -  3
• Shredded coconut – 2 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Water

Method of Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a deep bottomed pan and add mustard seeds followed by urad dal.
2. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add dried red chillies and simmer the stove.
3. Measure the remaining half of the rice and keep it aside.
4. Add water in the ratio 1: 2 1/2 (for 1 cup rice, 2 and 1/2 water) to the pan and keep the stove in medium heat.
5. When it starts boiling, add salt and coconut.
6. After 2 minutes add the ground rice and keep on mixing till it becomes like upma (check here).
7. Remove from heat and make oval shape balls and steam cook them just like sweet dumplings.

Serve hot with coconut chutney.