Kerala Kozhukkatta/ Indian Rice Dumpling Filled with Sweet Coconut Mixture

Kozhukatta or Kozhukkattai is a Indian Rice Dumpling Filled with Sweet Coconut Mixture. It is a healthy aromatic and sweet South Indian dumpling made with rice flour, grated coconut, jaggery or sugar and cardamom. It is similar to Modak popular sweet snack in other parts of India. In Kerala, among traditional Christians this sweet dumpling is very important recipe in the holy week, the Hossana/Osana Perunal or palm Sunday (kuruthola Perunal) eve and morning. In Kerala Palm Sunday is known as “kurutholla Pernunaal” because we keralites use young coconut leaves instead of palm leaves during the Palm Sunday church service. Also some places in Kerala Palm Sunday (kuruthola Perunal) also known as Kozhukkatta perunal because of this kozhukkatta making custom.
Back home Kerala my mom used to prepare this healthy and steamed nadan palaharam (authentic Kerala sweet snack) regularly as a breakfast or evening snack. Those days she made kozhukkatta  filling with jaggery as well as sugar but most of the time I prefer to eat kozhukkatta with jaggery coconut filling. Time has changed, my taste also changed because of my children 🙂 they loved sugar filled kozhukkatta so this time, palm Sunday eve I prepared Kerala Kozhukkatta like this way 😀

How To Make Kerala Kozhukkatta (Indian Sweet Dumpling) with Step By Step Method Pictures

1. Place grated coconut, ghee, Sugar or jaggery (If you are using jaggery, refer notes) and cardamom in a bowl.
2. Mix well and keep aside.

3. Boil water (approximately 2 Cups) and salt. Pour it immediately (small quantity at a time) to the rice flour.
4. Mix (use a wooden spatula or spoon) well.

5. When the heat is manageable, use your hand and combine the batter gently.
6. Make a soft dough form.

7. Take a small portion of dough in your palm.
8. flatten it to a circle.

9. Place some sweet coconut mix in its middle.
10. Seal the circle evenly.

11. Shape a small round ball. Repeat the process until the dough and fillings are finish.
12. Grease oil in a idly or normal plate (you can use idly or any steamer for preparing this dish). Place each rice balls accordingly.

13. Cover and steam it for 15 to 30 minutes.
14. Turn off the heat. Serve cool and enjoy!

Notes and Tips

1.Homemade rice flour is best for kozhukkatta. You can also use appam, idiyappam flour.
2. If you are using jaggery instead of sugar follow this process.
a. Melt( around 100 g) broken jaggery, leave it to cool
b. Strain.
c. Then mix with coconut and cardamom.