Salty Pidi Kozhakattai

The word Kozhakattai reminds us about Ganesh Chaturthy. Apart from Ganesh Puja, in south India Kozhakattais are also prepared for Varalakshmi puja, Aadi and Thai (Tamil months) during Friday puja. Kozhakattais are of many types. Some are steam cooked like modak and some are fried (as in Maharashtra).

Pidi Kozhakattai can be prepared as salty or sweet in taste. In Tamil Nadu in some Hindu families, this is also offered to god to celebrate the normal growth of the baby when the baby is 4 to 5 months old. Pidi Kozhakattai is easy to prepare and good for school going children as it has less oil and easy to digest.

I prepared Pidi Kozhakattai with rice rava (broken rice).

Serves: 4

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• Rice rava – 1 cup
• Grated coconut – 1/2 cup
• Oil – 1 tea spoon
• Salt – as per taste
• Seasoning
  • Mustard – 1/2 tea spoon
  • Urad dal – 1/2 tea spoon
  • Bengal gram (chana dal) dal – 1/2 tea spoon
  • Red chilli – 1 no
  • Curry leaves – few
  • Asafetida – pinch

Method

Step 1

• In a fry pan do the seasoning, add rice rava and fry for 2 minutes; add coconut,salt and 2 cups of water.

• Mix well and cook for 2 minutes so that the mix is thick; allow it to cool.

• With wet palm shape it as shown in photograph and steam cook in a cooker or steamer for 6 to 8 minutes.
• Serve hot with sauce or any chutney.

Tips

• You can add chopped carrot to improve the nutrition value.
• If you don’t like red chilli, replace with green chilli.