PAL KOZHUKKATTAI

பால் கொழுக்கட்டை (pal kozhukkattai)

                                                                                                                                                  serves:4
                                                                                                                       cooking time:30 minutes

It is a traditional sweet variety. My mom makes this for us on weekends. It tastes so yummy that we literally lick the plate. There are two versions of making this, one with sugar and another with jaggery. I personally love the one with sugar. Making the kozhukkatai takes some time but, its fun when you do it with your family members. That's how we do when we were kids.  All my cousins will assemble in our granny's house for the weekend. Mom will give the prepared "kuzhukkattai mavu" to us to make small round shapes. Half of it goes spoiled since we make toys out of it. It was like alternative clay to us. When ever i make this dish it remembers me the lovely time we all spent together. My most cherished moments!!!

INGREDIENTS :

1. Rice(idly/raw rice)                1cup
2. Jaggery / sugar                       3/4 cup
3. Cardamom powder                2tsp
4. Coconut milk                         1 cup (thick)
5.  Milk                                      1 cup
6. Water                                     2 cup's

PROCESS:

• Wash the rice and soak it in enough water for 3 to 4 hours.
• Drain the water and grind rice with a pinch of salt to a fine thick paste. Take a handful and keep aside to make the syrup.
• Now heat a tsp of oil in a kadai. Pour the ground batter and saute for 3 - 4 minutes or until the dough becomes thick. Kozhukkattai mavu ready.
• Make small round Kozhukkattais.Cover the rest of the dough with wet cloth as it will get dry.

JAGGERY VERSION :

• Heat a pan. Add jaggery and 2 cup's of water to it. Mix well until the jaggery completly dissolves.
• Remove it from fire. Filter it and Keep aside.
• Heat a heavy bottom wok. Add the jaggery water and the kozhukkattai.
• Cover the wok with a lid and cook in medium flame for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally as the kozhukkattais may stick together.
• Now take the rice paste you kept aside earlier. Dissolve it in water and add it to the boiling jaggery mix once the kozhukkattai's are done. Also pour the coconut milk and milk.  Mix well until it thickens.
• Now add cardamom powder. Mix well and serve hot.

SUGAR VERSION :

• Heat a heavy bottom wok. To it add 1 cup milk and 2 cups of water. Once it begins to boil put the kozhukkattai balls. 
• Close with a lid and let it cook. Stir occasionally as the kozhukkattais may stick together.
• Now take the rice paste you kept aside earlier. Dissolve it in water and add it to the boiling milk once the kozhukkattai's are cooked. 
• Now add sugar and stir well. Also pour the coconut milk. Mix well until it thickens.
• Add cardamom powder. Mix well and serve hot.

NOTE :

• You can steam cook the kozhukkattai and then add. This will not only save time also, we don't have to keep stirring until they are cooked and also they wont stick together.
• Adding the dissolved rice paste will not only give thickness and glossiness but also enhances the taste of the dish.