Meena's Taste Mantra

Channa Dal Kozhukattai - steamed dumplings with perfectly spiced Bengal Gram mixture! A Ganesh Chaturthi | Varalakshmi Puja Special!

The steamed Kozhukattais's are so versatile that with varied stuffing, they taste amazingly delicious and best part very easy to create a delightful variety platter! These being steamed, you can make them as nutritious as possible. These make a great Breakfast | Snack Option and a wonderful Naivedhyam Option too!

Amma loves experimenting with the filling mix and Channa Dal Kozhukattai is her own creation that we love a lot! She has been making this for nearly 3 decades! Today for the morning Building Ganapatiji's Aarti, Amma prepared these lovely savoury modaks! It was a pleasant surprise to many of the visitors as they were expecting a sweet filling but the perfectly balanced spiced Bengal Gram Mix within made them wanting one more of these modaks!

INGREDIENTS

For Channa Dal Filling

1 cup Channa Dal
1 tblsp Gajar | Carrot, grated
1 tsp Fresh Coconut, grated
1 tsp Green Chilli, finely chopped
1" Adrak | Ginger, finely chopped
7 - 8 Kadhi Patta | Curry Leaves
1 tblsp Fresh Dhania | Coriander Leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp Oil
1/2 tsp Rai | Mustard Seeds
1/2 tsp Urad Dal
1 tsp White Til | Sesame Seeds
A pinch Hing | Asafoetida Powder
To taste Salt

For Rice Dough

1 cup Raw Rice

2 cups Water

1/2 tsp Salt

2 tsp Homemade Ghee | Clarified Butter

For Channa Dal Kozhukattai

2 tsp Oil

METHOD

Preparing Ulundu Filling

Wash and soak Channa Dal for atleast 2 hours. Drain water and keep aside soaked Channa Dal.
Pressure Cook for 2 whistles after adding just about half cup water. Channa Dal must be semi cooked and aid to powder it coarsely. Remove Channa Dal and place them in a colander to strain excess water.
Coarsely grind Channa Dal and Kadhi Patta. Just a pulse in the mixer will do. We need to just break down Channa Dal to Rava | Semolina grainy texture.
In a kadhai, heat oil and add rai, urad dal and hing
As rai crackles, add white til, adark, green chilli, grated coconut and grated carrot. Saute for a minute.
Add ground Channa Dal mixture and toss well. If the filling appears very dry, sprinkle very little water. Mix well.
Switch off the gas and cover and keep aside.

Preparing Rice Dough

Wash and soak rice for 4 hours in 2 cups water.
After 4 hours, strain the water and keep aside both soaked rice and stained water.
Grind to a smooth paste. Add strained water as required to facilitate grinding.
In a non stick pan, add rice paste and remaining strained water, ghee, salt and mix well.
On low flame, stir continuously till it gets to a dough like consistency.
Switch off the flame and keep aside.

Preparing Channa Dal Kozhukattai

Make small lemon size equal portions of Channa Dal filling and keep aside.
Make small lemon size equal portions of Rice dough and keep aside.
Grease fingers with ghee and then take one portion of the rice dough and make a bowl shape from the same.
Place one portion of the Channa Dal filling and then gather the sides of the rice dough bowl to the center to cover the entire Channa Dal filling portion.
Gently roll kozhukattai between the palms of your hand to get a smooth surface.
In the similar manner prepare remaining. We got around 18 to 20 Channa Dal Kozhukattais.
Place these Channa Dal Kozhukattai on a steamer plate and steam them for 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove steamed Channa Dal Kozhukattai and serve with Green Chutney, Coconut Chutney and Molaga Podi.

Note:

a. Sometimes the rice dough may be left over. To this add little bit of salt and mix well. Thereafter prepare Ammini Delight or Ammini Kozhukattai.

We have used:

1. Tata Salt Lite

2. L G Hing Powder

About C R Meena

(c) 2014 - 2016, Meena's Taste Mantra is the result of my ardent desire to share my recipes, with all who appreciate and celebrate food. These recipes are as a result of 60 years of cooking experience, influenced by tradition and exposure to various concepts, new recipes/ingredients and a passion for cooking - adapting to healthier alternatives.