Kozhukatta - Coconut Stuffed Sweet Dumplings

Palm Sunday is really a great day..........

Celebrating the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.

Jesus,you entered Jerusalem knowing that it will end in your sacrificial death, for all the sin humans performed.

' Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of Lord!'
The large crowd shouted waving and throwing palm leaves as you passed by.

In our churches, we receive Jesus with flowers and coconut tree leaves (the custom). (We don't have palm leaves there and coconut trees, a lot.........)

But before the Palm Sunday!!!!!!!!!!!
That is a delicious saturday.......
We used to make kozhukatta, the dumplings stuffed with sweet coconut, on the Saturday before palm Sunday. We call that day as kozhukatta Saturday.

Don't ask me why and what is the relation. I seriously don't know. 
That's the custom being followed by the generations.

Now the recipe,

Kozhukatta

The Ingredients :

Rice flour                    - 2 cup

Water                         - 3.25 cup

Coconut shredded        - 1 cup

Cardamom                  - 1/4 tsp

Jaggery powder           - 3/4 cup

Powdered orange zest  - a pinch

Salt                            - 1/2 tsp

Method

First prepare the filling. Mix Jaggery and 1/4 cup water in a bowl. Boil to form a thick syrup, just before the one thread consistency. Remove from heat.

In a pan mix coconut and jaggery syrup well. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes.Switch off the flame.

Powder the cardamom.

Add this to the coconut filling and mix well.

Now add the dried orange zest powder. A pinch is more than enough. Mix well.

 The filling is ready. Keep it aside.

Now prepare the dumpling base.

For this take 3 cups of water in a bowl. Add salt and boil the water.

While the water is boiling, dry fry the rice flour on medium flame.

Take the fried flour in a bowl. Add the boiled water, to the flour with mixing. Cover and keep it aside.

When it is warm enough to handle, knead with hands to form soft dough ball. The right consistency is when the dough is not sticking to hands.

Wet your palms to avoid sticking. Make medium size balls from the dough. Then holding the ball in one hand, press the center of ball inward out to form a cup shape.

Fill the cup with coconut filling.

The close and seal the cup to form a ball, again. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

Steam the dumplings in a steamer for 10- 12 minutes. Then switch off the flame. Keep it covered for 1 - 2 minutes.

Kozhukatta is ready.

Serve Warm.

Enjoy Kozhukatta Saturday.


But recently i had read a beautiful interpretation for making kozhukatta on those Saturdays.

"That was the day Lazarus was brought back to life by Lord Jesus. He asked the men to move the stone from the cave entrance and called out to Lazarus and he came alive.
Kozhukatta is believed to represent the stone, when opened reveals the sweet life God gave us."

I don't know whether this relation is true, but i loved this version.

Happy Cooking