Paal Kozhukattai

Paal Kozhukattai is my childhood favourite payasam.  This Chettinadu sweet dish is traditionally prepared using jaggery and coconut milk.  Instead, we can substitute with regular sugar / brown sugar and milk.  Either way it taste great.  

Ingredients :

For Rice balls :

1. Raw rice - 1 cup
2. Coconut, grated - 1 tbsp
3. Water - 2 cup
4. A pinch of salt
5. Ghee / Oil - 1 tsp
6. Thin coconut milk (or) milk - 1 cup
7. Brown sugar - 2 tbsp

For Jaggery sauce :

1. Jaggery - 3/4 cup
2. Thick coconut  milk - 1/2 cup
3. Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Method :

1.   Soak the rice for 3 hours and grind them using one cup of water to smooth paste.  Add a pinch of salt while grinding.

2.   Transfer the rice paste, coconut grated in the heavy bottomed pan and add another cup of water and a tsp of ghee. Keep stirring until it forms a dough consistency.  Switch off the flame.

3.  When the dough is warm, make small balls out of it and keep aside.

4.   In a heavy bottomed pan, bring thin coconut milk and brown sugar to boil.  Add the rice balls and cook for 5 mins.  Gently stir the cooked rice balls and simmer the flame once done.

5.   In a separate pan, dissolve the jaggery in the hot water and filter them.

6.   Now, add the jaggery water in the cooked rice balls and cook them till done (around 5 mins).

7.   Finally, add thick coconut milk and cardamom powder and switch off the flame.

Serve warm.