Milagu Urundai/Milagu Kozhukattai

Milagu kozhukatttai is one of the traditional snacks that Amma makes often at home in the evenings. Its healthy and can be fed for infants. I am not a big fan but i make it for Abhi,my son. Today Amma made this for Abhi as an after-school snack and i clicked it. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

Rice flour/Idiyappam flour-1 cup

Coconut-1/2 cup scrapped

Gingelly oil-2 tbsp

Salt –as needed

Water-1 & 1/2 cups

To Temper:

Mustard seeds-1 tsp

Black peppercorns-1 tsp, coarsely crushed

Cumin seeds-1 tsp, coarsely crushed

Gingelly oil-1 tbsp

Curry leaves-1 sprig

How it Happened:

1. Take the flour, shredded coconut and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix well to combine all the ingredients. Now add the gingelly oil and mix well once again.

2. Boil the water well until it bubbles vigorously. Make a well in the center of the mixing bowl with a wooden stick ( matthu) or back of a wooden ladle.

3. Start pouring the water slowly and keep mixing with the wooden stick. When it is cool enough to handle with your hand, knead with your hand to form soft, non-sticky dough. Apply a little oil in your hands before mixing the dough. The dough should be in the same consistency like that of a idiyappam dough.

4. Apply a little oil on top and allow it to rest for 15 minutes and keep covered.

5. Now take a part of the dough in your hand and make small marble sized balls. Use up the entire dough. Arrange the balls on the idli plate/steamer plate and steam them in medium flame for 10-15 minutes.

6. Check whether they are cooked, by pressing them and if they turn out to be non-sticky they are well cooked. Remove them from the steamer and allow them to cool.

7. Mix the coarsely crushed pepper and cumin with the rice balls to coat them well.

8. Now heat oil in a kadai and add the mustard seeds and curry leaves and when they pop, add the steamed rice balls and mix well to coat them with oil.

9. Sauté’ for a minute, switch off the flame and serve hot.

Notes:

*While kneading the dough add water slowly and adjust the water level to have the desired consistency. The amount of water depends on the type of rice flour you use so adjust water accordingly. The dough should be non sticky similar to idiyappam dough. Oil is added to make the dough non sticky and pliable.

*Boil the water vigorously. It should be really hot else the dough will not have a pliable consistency and will not be soft. If the dough is kneaded to the right consistency the kozhukattai will be buttery soft.

* Coconut scrapings add a nice texture.

*Gingelly oil is the main ingredient that brings flavor to the dish and also helps the balls to be separate without sticking to one another.