Ammini Kozhukattai/ Savory Rice Flour Dumplings

30 mins

Serves 4 people

Author: Rajni Ram

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Ammini Kozhukattai is a savory Modak (dumpling),made from Rice flour. It is usually made on Ganesh Chaturthi festival, from the leftover dough from the Poorna Kozhukattai(sweet Modak). My family loves these savory dumplings, and so I always make extra dough for making the Ammini Kozhukattai. Apart from the festival, these tiny flavour bombs make for a healthy and gluten free snack.

They are very easy to make as no shaping is involved. These Kozhukattais can be made with store bought rice flour, without much trouble. However, if the Modak dough is leftover,adding some spices to it and shaping them to balls and steaming them is all that is required. There are different ways of tempering this dish. Some recipes add the spices to the tempering, while some mix the spices with the dough. I follow the latter method as I feel the spices get mixed evenly and, I keep the tempering simple.

While you are here, also check out the Pohe/aval recipes,that can be offered for Ganesh Chaturthi- Kozhukattai(Modak), Aval Kesari, Vella Aval, Red Rice Sweet Poha, Red Poha Ladoo, Dahi Pohe and more…

Ingredients

For Dough:

Rice Flour (store bought) 1 cup – read notes
Water 2 cups
salt as required
Sesame oil 1 tsp
Red Chilli powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

For Tempering:

Sesame Oil 1/2 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds 1/2 tsp
White Til (sesame) 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves a few
Asafoetida 1/4 tsp

In a Pan take 2 cups water,add a little salt and oil and bring it to a roll boil. (Roll boiling is when the water starts bubbling and the bubbles rise up from the bottom of the kadai and go down again).
Now add the flour to the boiling water,stirring with the other hand continuously. Mix well so that no dry flour remains. Keep stirring until all the water is absorbed, and the dough comes together(check pictures for consistency). Add a teaspoon of oil and mix well. Transfer the dough to a plate to cool.
Let the dough cool for 10 minutes. Now add required salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida, and knead well, so that the spices get well incorporated. Now grease your palms, and pinching small portions from the dough, form them into tiny balls.
Now get the Idli steamer/ cooker ready. This can be steamed in the microwave also. Grease the idli moulds or vessel, and place about 6-8 balls in each cup. Now steam them. If using Idli steamer or cooker steam for 10-12 minutes. If using microwave steam for 4 minutes. Let it cool down for 5 minutes, now transfer the steamed balls to a plate.
Now take oil in a pan for tempering. When hot,add mustard seeds, when they crackle add the cumin seeds, followed by curry leaves, Til seeds, and asafoetida. Add salt and red chilli powder if required to adjust the taste. Drop the steamed balls into the tempering mixture,and mix well, so that the tempering coats the balls evenly. The Ammini Kozhukattai is ready to snack on.

In a Pan take 2 cups water,add a little salt and oil and bring it to a roll boil. (Roll boiling is when the water starts bubbling and the bubbles rise up from the bottom of the kadai and go down again). Now add the flour to the boiling water,stirring with the other hand continuously. Mix well so that no dry flour remains. Keep stirring until all the water is absorbed, and the dough comes together(check pictures for consistency). Add a teaspoon of oil and mix well. Transfer the dough to a plate to cool. Let the dough cool for 10 minutes. Now add required salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida, and knead well, so that the spices get well incorporated. Now grease your palms, and pinching small portions from the dough, form them into tiny balls. Now get the Idli steamer/ cooker ready. This can be steamed in the microwave also. Grease the idli moulds or vessel, and place about 6-8 balls in each cup. Now steam them. If using Idli steamer or cooker steam for 10-12 minutes. If using microwave steam for 4 minutes. Let it cool down for 5 minutes, now transfer the steamed balls to a plate. Now take oil in a pan for tempering. When hot,add mustard seeds, when they crackle add the cumin seeds, followed by curry leaves, Til seeds, and asafoetida. Add salt and red chilli powder if required to adjust the taste. Drop the steamed balls into the tempering mixture,and mix well, so that the tempering coats the balls evenly. The Ammini Kozhukattai is ready to snack on.

Notes:

If using store bought flour for this recipe, the flour to water ratio is 1: 2. If using flour processed at home, it is 1 cup flour :1.5 cups water.
The same recipe can be made Red Rice or brown rice flour also. Ratio can be 1:1.5
I have steamed the Kozhukattai in a microwave. Timing for microwave steaming is 4 minutes.
A little grated coconut can be added while tempering, it enhances the flavour, however I have not added in this recipe.