Mani kozhakattai - Spicy Podi and Moong Usli Kozhakattais

Kozhukattais are simply great. You can make with broken grains or flour. They are simple yet nutritious. Sometimes they may be time-consuming to prepare but its all worth when you eat them. Good food makes your tummy. Just like kozhukattais. There mare many varieties and this mani kozukattai (aka ammini kozhukattai) are miniature beauties - mini balls of rice flour rolled, steamed, and seasoned. Some of the varieties of kozhukattais are made as part of offerings for the pooja. Ganesha, the elephant God loves these kozhukattais, and hence please include this in your menu for Ganesh Chathurthi. It is a great way to spend a family quality time - rolling these small balls and having a nice talk, just like how in the olden days, a few family members gathering and doing this. I enjoyed doing this with my daughter. If they don't roll it exactly also, it is quite fine. All it matters is the fun that you have making and eating them. 

When I grew up, we had a family with elders (grandparents) as our neighbors. The grandma, whenever she made these, she would give us a cup of these. I used to enjoy her preparation (Also, she is great at making urad dhal and rice papads. She makes at home - very very yummy! I miss all those). In our home, we don't make this kozhukattai very often, but we enjoyed the bowls of these kozhukattais we received with great love and affection. The grandma is no more, but the memories are still alive. Anyway, remembering her, here is the recipe for mani kozhukattais. Please make sure to share this with whom you love too.

Basic Mani Kozhukattai

Ingredients

Serves 2 to 4 as a snack

Ingredients

Rice flour - 1 and 1/2 cup

salt

oil - 1 tbsp

water - 2 and 1/4 cups

Method

In a heavy bottom pot, boil water. When it starts boiling add 1 tbsp oil and a little salt.

To this add the rice flour.

Lower the flame, mix thoroughly well for a few minutes, and make sure there are no lumps. Cover with a lid and set aside for 15 mins.

When the heat is bearable warm, knead into a smooth ball.

Take small amounts of it and roll into balls.

Arrange them on a plate and steam for 3 to 5 mins.

Steamed balls or mani kozhukattais are ready. This yields about 5 cups of rolled balls.

Moong Usli Mani Kozhukattai

Ingredients

2 cups of steamed balls or kozhukattais

Moong dhal, split - 1/4 cup

Salt 

Water

Red Chilli - 1

Asafoetida - 1/8 + 1/8 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Oil - 3 to 4 tsp

Split urad dhal - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaf - 1 or 2 sprigs

Method

Soak the split moong dhal with red chilli for 30 min. To the soaked moong and chilli add 1/8 tsp asafoetida, salt, and grind to a coarse texture.

In a pan, heat the oil and add the seasonings. To this add the ground moong mixture and cook. Scramble it till it is completely cooked and doesn't stick to the pan.

Add the steamed mani kozhukattais and gently fold in to mix thoroughly.

Spicy Podi Mani Kozhukattai

Ingredients

3 cups of steamed kozhukattais

Sesame oil - 1 to 2 tbsp

Mustard seed - 1/4 tsp

Split urad dhal - 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/8 tsp

Coconut - 1 and 1/2 tbsp, grated

Idli milagai podi - 2 tbsp

Curry leaf - 1 or 2 sprigs

Method

Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds, urad dhal, asafoetida, and curry leaves. 

When the seasoning is done, to that add the coconut and idli chilli powder.

Then add the steamed mani kozhukattais.

Gently fold in to coat the seasoning mixture evenly.

Serve hot.

Tips:

Variations of these kozhukattais are innumerable. Sometime soon, I will post different flavors of these miniature delicacies.

If you are going to make sweet versions, add a pinch of salt to the basic mani kozhukattai recipe. If you are planning for a savory version, add about 1/4 tsp salt.

Idli milagai powder can be substituted with chilli powder.

I will soon post the recipe for homemade idli milagai powder. It is available in stores too.