Ganesh Chaturthi can never be complete without the ubiquitous kolukattais. The dish comes in various shapes and tastes these days – from the regular traditional varieties to the exciting ones with different stuffing. “It is said that the practice of making Kolukattai and steam cooking came to our country from East Asia through trade merchants in the olden days,” says Chef Raj Mohan. “In a way, the dumplings are the Kolukkattais of East Asia.” Apart from being a tasty snack, Kolukattai is also healthy as it packs the goodness of coconut, dal, jaggery and rice in its little potli. Kolukattais have also taken a ‘diet’ avatar as they are made from oats. “You can binge on Kolukattais made with oats and yet be on a diet,” says Chef Raj Mohan, who makes no less than 30 varieties of kolylattais with the stuffing ranging from carrot halwa to steamed vegetables.”
Here are some recipes to try out.
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Puzhangal Arisi (Parboiled rice) – 500g
Thick Coconut Shreds– 100g
Jaggery and fried gram dal – 150g each
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Whole Peppercorn – Two Tbsp
Ghee – Four Tbsp
Method of Preparation
Soak the parboiled rice for two hours. Drain the rice and grind it as smooth paste with water.
Pour the smoothly grinded rice along with ghee in a kadai. Stir it continuously till the water is reduced and it becomes thick Kolukattai dough. Mix well and let the mixture cool down.
Break the jaggery into fine pieces. Mix together the jaggery and fried Bengal gram.
When the kolukattai mixture is cooled, prepare it as small even sized balls. Spread the balls neatly and evenly in your palm, keep enough jaggery and fried Bengal gram mix along one thick ball of the coconut shreds and one peppercorn in the centre of the spread. Cover the stuffing neatly into a modak.
Steam cook for 10 to 15 minutes, the traditional Vinayagar Kolukattai preparation is the prime offering to Lord Ganesha on Vinayagar Chathurthi day.
Muthu Kolukattai
Rice flour - 500g
Water – One litre
Gingelly oil – One Tbsp
Salt a pinch
Chilli powder – Half Tsp
For Tempering
Gingelly oil and coconut gratings – Two Tbsp each
Mustard seeds, Bengal gram dal and Urad dal – Quarter Tsp each
Curry leaf - A few
Dry red chillies, broken - One
Asafoetida powder- A pinch
Method of Preparation
Mix rice flour, salt, chilli powder and oil with water in a vessel. Keep the vessel over medium fire. Stir it continuously without any lump formation.
Once it is reduced and thickened as Kolukattai dough, leave it aside for 15 minutes for cooling.
Mix the dough once again, apply oil on your palm and take a piece of dough. Tightly rotate the dough in your palm and make mini balls.
Steam cook the mini balls.
Heat gingelly oil in a kadai, sputter the tempering ingredients. Add the prepared mini kolukattai into the tadka. Stir and toss the items well. Muthu kozhukattai is ready.
Godhumai Karupatti Kolukattai
Wheat flour – 500g
Coconut – One quarter
Ghee – Five Tbsp
Palm Jaggery – 80g
Cardamom powder – One Tsp
Dry Ginger powder – Quarter Tsp
Method of Preparation
Slightly dry fry the wheat flour in kadai. Fry the coconut gratings in ghee till it turns golden in colour. Prepare semi thick palm jaggery syrup.
Mix all ingredients together. Sprinkle little warm water in the mix, prepare the soft Kolukattai dough.
Apply little ghee on your palm, take the kolukattai mixture and press it to give the shape of Pidi Kolukattai . Arrange it neatly in Idli steamer and cook the kolukattai for 15 minutes. Godhumai Karuppatti Kolukattai provides high energy to the body.
(Chef. M.S. Raj Mohan is a Chef Educationist, Consultant Chef, Food Enthusiast and Writer, Head – Hotel Management department, Mary Matha College, Periyakulam)