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

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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.