Kozhukkatta (Mildly sweet rice dumplings)

This used to be one of my childhood favourites. After about four decades, I got to eat it at my sister’s place a year back. All memories came back and I decided that I have to make it, and that moment came today. And I was transported to heaven the moment I tasted.

Ingredients:

1 cup rice soaked for 4- 6 hours –for 20 small dumplings

¾ cup grated coconut

3 + 1 ½  tbsps sugar

3 ½ cups water

½ tsp cumin seeds

2 cardamoms

A pinch of salt

Instruction:

-          Drain the rice and grind it a little. Add grated coconut, cumin seeds, cardamom, 3 tbsps sugar, salt and grind again, it should not become a fine paste.

-          If you have to add some water while grinding, you need to add some rice flour to get the consistency for making it into balls. Make small sized balls, or it will take a long time to cook.

-          Boil 3 ½ cups of water with a drop of ghee in a thick bottomed vessel. Gently drop the balls into the water.

-          When it boils again, reduce the flame, cover the vessel and cook for 15 minutes. Add the remaining 1 ½ tbsps sugar, mix well and cook for another 5 minutes. 

-          Take out one ball, cut into half with a knife and confirm it is cooked from inside.  

-          Remove from fire and serve.
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      Dedicated to Ambili chechi in whose house I had Kozhukkatta.