Mani Kozikottai - Baby rice balls - Kerala Recipe

In Kerala rice flour is the most popular ingredient for breakfast and snack preparations. Puttu , idiappam, appam, kozikottai ,dosa ,idli to name a few. The kozikottai usually stuffed with coconut and jaggery mixture in kerala. Tamilians make savory stuffed kozikottai too. But my mother would make mani kozhikottai with leftover idiappam dough . With some nice tempering added it makes a wonderful tea time snack.

Sometimes it is added to sweet milk and served as dessert.

Super fine Rice flour - 1 cup

Water - 1 cup

Ghee - 1 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Tempering 

Ghee - 1 tsp

Mustard - 1/4 tsp

Hing /Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tap

Curry Leaves - a few

Green Chili -2 , slit

Dry Red Chilli -2

Coconut - 2 tbsp

Rasam/Sambar Powder - 1 tsp (optional)

Step I:

1. Boil water with salt and ghee.
2. Add the flour slowly and mix well.
3. Cover and leave aside till it become cool enough to handle.
4. Once cooled ,knead the dough well .
5. Make small marble sized balls .
6. Steam for 15-20 min and keep aside.

Step II

1. Heat ghee  in a frying pan and add hing.
2. Add mustard and urad dal.
3. When dal turns golden add the chillies.
4. Then add the rasam/sambar power and coconut.
5. Add the steamed balls and mix well.