🥥✨ Kozhukattai

(Sweet & Savory Variants)

Steamed rice dumplings filled with tradition — soft, fragrant, and perfect for festival mornings.

Spice Level: 🌶️ Mild (Savory) · None (Sweet)

Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 12–15 mins | Serves: 12–14 dumplings
Calories (approx): ~90 kcal per dumpling

🔔 Tiffin & Temple Bells

🌿 Introduction

Delicate steamed dumplings made with soft rice dough, filled with sweet coconut-jaggery bliss or a gentle savory tempering — Kozhukattai is the heart of South Indian festivals.
Whether crafted as Modakam for Vinayaka Chaturthi or enjoyed as a simple tiffin, each dumpling carries
the warmth of tradition and the joy of homemade ritual.

“Soft as prayer, warm as devotion — kozhukattai is where sweetness meets serenity.”

Kozhukattai

(Sweet & Savory Variants)

Photo by Stirred By Spice

📝 Ingredients

Rice Dough (Common Base for Both)

  • 1 cup Rice Flour (fine, roasted preferred)

  • 1 ¼ cups Water

  • 1 tsp Oil or Ghee

  • ¼ tsp Salt

Sweet Coconut Filling (Pooranam)

  • 1 cup Fresh Coconut (grated)

  • ¾ cup Jaggery (grated)

  • ¼ tsp Cardamom Powder

  • 1 tsp Ghee

  • 1 tbsp Coconut Pieces (optional)

Savory Kozhukattai Filling

  • 1 tbsp Oil

  • ½ tsp Mustard Seeds

  • ½ tsp Urad Dal

  • 1–2 Green Chilies (finely chopped)

  • 6–8 Curry Leaves

  • 1 cup Fresh Coconut (grated)

  • Salt to taste

  • A pinch of Hing

🍽️ Instructions

  • Part 1 — Prepare the Rice Dough

    1. Boil Water – Bring water, salt, and oil/ghee to a boil.

    2. Add Flour – Reduce heat; stir in rice flour quickly.

    3. Mix – Switch off heat; mix vigorously until clump-free.

    4. Rest & Knead – Cover 5 mins → knead into a soft, smooth dough.

    5. Keep Covered – Prevents drying while shaping.

    Part 2 — Sweet Filling

    1. Heat ghee in a pan.

    2. Add coconut + jaggery → cook until melted and sticky.

    3. Add cardamom powder.

    4. Cool slightly before stuffing.

    Part 3 — Savory Filling

    1. Heat oil → add mustard, urad dal, chilies, curry leaves.

    2. Add grated coconut, hing, and salt.

    3. Toss briefly; mixture should remain pale and fragrant.

    Part 4 — Shape the Kozhukattai

    1. Take a small ball of dough.

    2. Flatten into a thin cup using wet fingers.

    3. Fill with sweet or savory mixture.

    4. Pinch and seal the top (classic modakam shape).

    Part 5 — Steam

    1. Place shaped kozhukattai in a greased steamer.

    2. Steam for 12–15 minutes until shiny and firm.

    3. Rest 2 minutes before serving.

🍷 Optional Serving Notes

Serve warm with ghee drizzle (sweet), or coconut chutney (savory).

💬 Soulful Note

Shaping each dumpling is a quiet ritual — warm palms, patient folds, and a moment of devotion wrapped gently around coconut and rice.

📚 Cook’s Wisdom / FAQs

Cook's Wisdom

Tip: Smooth & Seal with wet fingers, if filling leaks out due to improper sealing or dough being too thick.

  • Why is my dough cracking?
    It’s dry — add 1 tsp hot water and knead again.

  • Can I make the dough ahead?
    Yes, but keep covered with a damp cloth to prevent drying.

  • Can I air-fry?
    Traditionally steamed — air-frying makes them firmer and less soft.

📊 Nutrition (Per Serving — Approx.)

  • Calories 90

  • Protein 1g

  • Carbs 14g

  • Fat 3g

  • Fiber 1g

🍃🌶🍃 The Bottom Line

Soft, fragrant, and delicately shaped — Kozhukattai is a celebration of devotion, sweetness, and simple joy.

🧡 Meet the Heart Behind the Spice

Maya Shetty – Stirred By Spice Author Photo

Hi, I’m Maya Shetty — cook, storyteller, and spice lover.

Through Stirred By Spice, I share recipes that warm both the kitchen and the heart — where simple ingredients and warm flavors turn everyday meals into moments of connection.

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