UPMA KOZHAKATTAI

Upma Kozhakttai is yet another South Indian breakfast / ‘tiffin’ item. If you don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen making hot dosas for the entire family, opt for this item. Of course it is more time-consuming than upma because you have to make ‘rice upma' first and then steam the ‘kozhakattai’! Well, if you are in a mood for variety, try this!

You can grind coarsely 2 cups of raw rice (soaked for 2-3 hours) or powder coarsely in a mixer (like big rawa) raw rice that has been washed and partly dried (for 30 minutes). If you are too busy to do this, get ‘idli rawa’ from the grocery store and use it. I’m giving the recipe using idli rawa.

Makes 30 kozhakattai

Ingredients

Idli rawa – 2 cups

Grated coconut – 2-3 tbsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Urad dal – 1 tsp

Chana dal – 2 tsp

Whole red chill – 3-4 pieces

Green chilli – 2 (chopped)

Curry leaves – 12

Salt to taste

Water – 1 1/2 cups

Method

Wash the idli rawa well and drain off the water.

Heat oil in a kadhai. Add mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, red chilli pieces and finally curry leaves and green chilli pieces.

Add nearly 1 1/2  cups of water and salt to taste (it should be a bit saltier than usual as it will become less salty after steaming).

When it starts boiling, add grated coconut and stir well.

Lower the heat, squeeze the idli rawa of the water and add it to the boiling water and stir well, avoiding lumps.

Allow the 'rice upma’ to cool.

Make oval shaped ‘kozhakattai’ and arrange them in a flat colander(or in an idli-stand) and steam the kozhakattai (as you would steam idlis) in a pressure cooker (without the weight) for 10-12 minutes.

Serve hot with coconut chutney / jaggery / vadu maanga water. 

 © Copyright 2011. Brinda Balasubramonian.