AI-generated image
Paal kozhukattai (rice dumplings in sweet coconut milk)
Tiny rice-flour dumplings in jaggery-sweetened coconut milk with cardamom
Paal kozhukattai is made in Tamil Nadu homes for Vinayaka Chaturthi and on rainy evenings when something warm and sweet is wanted. Tiny pearls of rice-flour dough are cooked in thin coconut milk until they float and turn glossy, then the pot is sweetened with jaggery and finished with thick coconut milk and cardamom. The dumplings are soft and chewy, the liquid creamy and caramel-coloured, and the whole thing is served warm in small bowls, or at room temperature as part of a festival offering. It is naturally egg-free and vegan: the rice flour, scalded with boiling water, holds the dumplings together, and its starch thickens the coconut milk as they cook. Chef's tip: once the thick coconut milk goes in, keep it below a boil; boiling it hard is the common mistake that splits the coconut milk and makes it oily.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 5
Ingredients
For the dumplings
- 4 oz fine rice flour
- ¾ cup waterboiling
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp coconut oil
For the coconut milk
- 5 ½ oz jaggerygrated
- ½ cup water
- 2 cups thin coconut milk
- ¾ cup thick coconut milk
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Bring ¾ cup water to the boil with 1 pinch salt and 1 tsp coconut oil. Pour it over 4 oz fine rice flour in a bowl and stir with a spoon until it comes together.
3 minStep 2: Cover and rest for 5 minutes, then knead while still warm into a smooth, soft dough that doesn't crack.
5 minStep 3: Roll the dough into small balls about the size of a chickpea, keeping the bowl covered so it doesn't dry out.
Step 4: Warm 5 ½ oz jaggery with ½ cup water over a low heat, stirring, until it melts. Strain to remove any grit.
5 minStep 5: Bring 2 cups thin coconut milk to a gentle simmer in a wide pan over a medium heat and drop in the dumplings a handful at a time.
3 minStep 6: Simmer for 10–12 minutes, stirring gently now and then, until the dumplings float, look glossy and are cooked through when you cut one open.
12 minStep 7: Lower the heat and stir in the jaggery syrup. Simmer for 2 minutes, until the liquid thickens slightly.
2 minStep 8: Turn the heat to its lowest, stir in ¾ cup thick coconut milk and ½ tsp ground cardamom and warm for 1 minute without boiling.
1 minStep 9: Turn off the heat and serve warm. It thickens as it stands; loosen with a little warm water if needed.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does paal kozhukattai (rice dumplings in sweet coconut milk) take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 5 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of jaggery?
- Dark brown or muscovado sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of thin coconut milk?
- Single cream, same amount (not dairy free).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
SakarpadaSweet fried dough diamonds
Sakarpada (shakarpara) are little sweet diamonds of a rich dough made with ghee, milk and sugar, fried until golden and crunchy. They are a Diwali favourite with tea, and the cubes go into bhusu too. They keep for weeks in an air-tight tin.
Paneer biryaniRice and moong dal in coconut milk
A mild, creamy biryani: rice and husked green gram roasted in ghee, then cooked in coconut milk with peas, carrots, potatoes, peanuts and cashews, and finished with soft fried paneer and a fresh coriander yogurt. Serve hot, garnished with more fried cashews and paneer.
Sabudana khichdiSago with peanuts and potato
Sabudana khichdi is the dish that sees Maharashtra through every vrat (fast), from Navratri to Ekadashi, but it's so good that people eat it any day of the week. Soaked sago pearls are tossed in a pan with crushed roasted peanuts, cubes of potato, cumin and green chilli until each pearl turns glassy and separate, then finished with lemon and coriander. It's soft, chewy, nutty and gently hot. Fasting rules vary from family to family, so check yours; this version uses rock salt and no asafoetida, onion or garlic. Traditionally it's cooked in ghee; use ghee instead of oil if you aren't keeping it vegan. Chef's tip: soak the sago in just enough water to cover by the height of the pearls themselves, no more; too much water is the reason khichdi turns into one sticky lump.
