Kozhukkatta facts for kids
Kozhukattai/kozhukkatta
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| Course | Dessert |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Tamilakam |
| Region or state | Tamil Nadu and Kerala |
| Associated national cuisine | India, Sri Lanka |
| Main ingredients | Grated coconut, jaggery |
Kozhukkattai, also called kozhukatta, is a yummy dumpling from South India. It is made from rice flour and usually has a sweet filling. This filling is often made with grated coconut and jaggery, which is a type of unrefined sugar. Sometimes, you can find kozhukkattai with a savory (not sweet) filling too!
This special dish is similar to Modak, another popular dumpling found in other parts of India. Kozhukkattai is a favorite treat during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. In Kerala, Christians also make it on the Saturday before Palm Sunday, which is why that day is sometimes called Kozhukatta Saturday.
Contents
How to Make Kozhukkattai
Making kozhukkattai involves a few simple steps. First, you mix grated coconut with sweet jaggery syrup. This mixture becomes the delicious filling for the dumplings.
Next, you take dough made from rice flour. You carefully place the coconut and jaggery filling inside these small rice flour dumplings. After they are filled, the dumplings are cooked by steaming them.
To make them even tastier, people sometimes add Ghee (clarified butter), cardamom spice, or finely ground roasted rice flour to the filling. In Kerala, some people make a different kind of kozhukkattai using atta flour (a type of whole wheat flour) instead of rice flour. This version, with grated coconut, is a common breakfast for some families.
Kozhukkattai in Culture
Kozhukkattai is more than just a snack; it has special meanings in different cultures.
Festivals and Offerings
In Tamil Nadu, this dish is traditionally linked to the Hindu God Ganesha. People prepare kozhukkattai as an offering, called naivedhya, during the Vinayaka Chathurthi festival. It's a way to show devotion and celebrate.
In Kerala, Christians prepare kozhukkattai on the Saturday before Palm Sunday. This day is even known as Kozhukatta Saturday because of this tradition. It is also a popular evening snack in Kerala, often enjoyed with tea or coffee.
Family Customs in Sri Lanka
For the Sri Lankan Tamil community, kozhukkattai plays an important role in several family customs, especially those related to babies and new mothers.
In northern Sri Lanka, there's a sweet custom where small dumplings, shaped to look like teeth, are gently dropped on a baby's head. The family does this while wishing for the baby to grow healthy teeth.
In eastern parts of Sri Lanka, like the Amparai district, a smaller version called piḷḷai kozhukkaṭṭai is made. Female family members prepare these for expectant mothers about four months into their pregnancy. These sweets are also often shared at weddings. They are seen as good luck symbols, representing "plump" health and fertility for the new couple.
Making
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Flatten the rice dough
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Fill with the mixture of jaggery and coconut
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Close the dough
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Mold it into the shape of a ball
See also
In Spanish: Kozhakkattai para niños
