Happy Vinayagar Chathurthi to all my friends, readers and their families. Today, I am sharing Therali Ilai Kozhukattai as my last recipe for this year's Kozhukattai collection. It is one of my mum's favorites and she makes it very often at home. In the place where my mum was working, for Karthigai Deepam, all my neighbors share us kozhukattai prepared using palm leaves. And, mum shares with them this Therali Kozhukattai. I can recollect many cherishable memories of mum if I think about this kozhukattai. It is very famous in my native since the tree with therali Ilai/Bay leaf is readily available in many houses. I prepared and clicked it during my last India trip at Jany's house since they have a very big tree in the backyard.
The strong smell of the fresh bay leaf enters into the kozhukattai/appam while steaming and gives great flavor to the kozhukattai. The house smells divine after we make this kozhukattai. My mum-inlaw helped me while making this kozhukattai and it came out super awesome. Both uncle and aunty liked it very much. I felt really happy when uncle was appreciating for the perfectly folded kozhukattai's. Do check out my kozhukattai collection too. Let us move on to the recipe:
Ingredients:Roasted Rice Flour - 1 Cup
Jaggery - 1/2(powdered)
Water - 1 Cup
Coconut - 1/2 Cup
Cardamom pods - 4
Dry ginger - 1 inch piece
1. Crush the dry ginger and cardamom pods. Keep it aside. Take powdered jaggery in a heavy bottomed pan and add 1 cup of water. Heat it until the jaggery is dissolved completely. Strain the impurities.
2. Pour the jaggery solution back to the pan and bring it to boil. Add the crushed cardamom, dry ginger and coconut. When it is boiling, add the rice flour. Mix it all together and keep stirring.
3. The water content will be absorbed completely and it is formed as a non sticky dough. Switch off the flame. When it is hand bearable, start making it into small elongated balls as shown below. Meanwhile, get ready with the bay leaf/therali ilai and wash it well.
4. Then place each ball on the backside of the leaf and roll it as shown below. Tuck the leaves stem over the kozukattai and seal it properly. Follow the same process for the entire dough.
4. Arrange the prepared kozhukattai on the steamer pate or on the Idli plate. Steam it for 15 to 20 mins.
5. Remove and serve when it is warm.
It smells so good the next day. Do try this if you could find bay leaf. If you couldn't get the bay leaf then steam it as such without the leaves.
- You can also make cones out of the bay leaf, fill it with a ball and seal it. This is called as Kumbilappam in kerala.
- Adjust the jaggery as per your need. I prefer mild sweetness and you can use upto 3/4 cup of jaggery.
- I used puttu mavu(roasted rice flour) for this kozhukattai. You can also use store bought Idiyappam Flour like we do for other kozhukattai's.
Happy's Cook - Divya
how I wish I could have some of those... looks lovely..
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