Paal (Milk) Kozhukattai

'No one cooks alone. A cook in the kitchen is surrounded by generations of cooks past, the advice and menus of cooks present. When baking, follow directions. While cooking, go by your own taste.' - Kamala's Corner.

A Chettinad delicacy and a popular tea-time snack - worth the trouble taken to make them. Amma altered the traditional recipe to make it at short notice. Traditionally, it is made with coconut milk. Here we've used regular milk, low fat. Chettinad homes and most South Indian homes generally stock a variety of 'Flours'. Here, Amma has used parboiled rice flour to cook this dish up. This is generally made for pregnant and lactating mothers. Kids love them as an after school snack. Adults just adore this on cool evenings and warm ones too!!! You just need an excuse to make this dish. Do find it :-) !

PAAL KOZHUKATTAI

Ingredients:

Parboiled Rice flour 1 cup

Water 2 cups, approx

Milk 1 Litre

Sugar/Jaggery ½ cup

Cardamom 4, powdered

Coconut (optional) 3 Tbsp, ground

Oil 4 Tbsp

Salt 1 pinch

Method:

Mix flour, pinch of salt and water to get a thin batter.

Bring the milk to a boil and then simmer till it is somewhat reduced.

Heat oil and pour the batter in. Stir cook till it leaves the sides of the pan.

Cool slightly and gently knead in the crusts. Keep the dough covered.

Form small pellets of the dough.

Drop the pellets in simmering milk - in batches - and cook till they float on top.

Add sugar to taste.

Add powdered cardamom and coconut. Simmer for 7 to 10 minutes.

Serve warm.

There is another easier method to make the Kozhukattai.

Fill a "sevai press" with the dough and press into boiling milk; in short bursts.

This is the other method.