Sugar Free kozhukatta – Modak – Sweet Dumpling – കൊഴുക്കട്ട

Kozhukatta Festival is celebrated on the Saturday before Palm Sunday in Kerala. My cousin who likes to keep traditions alive has requested to share this receipe.

Boil – 1 ½ Cup water -pinch Salt -1 tsp ghee – Add – 1 cup rice flour – quick stir – turn off Stove

Mix – wooden spoon– use extra rice flour if needed – form smooth dough – cool

Microwave – 2 cups chopped pitted dates 2 mnts. grind to paste

Filling – Blend -Ground dates – 2 cups dried grated coconut – handful chopped nuts- 1 tsp cardomon powder – 1tsp ghee

Method –- Oil your palm  – dough lemon sized balls – flatten-  stuff spoonful filling – close edges- form dumplings.

Steam – dumplings 12-15 mnts. Cool few mnts – Ready to eat.

Enjoy delicious Kozhukatta. Eat leftover fillings as Burfi.

Note : Traditionally filling is made with Jaggery and Coconut.

Eating this  nourishing, filling , comforting  and delicious dessert brings back sweet memories of eating Kozhukatta with my parents, brothers, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, connecting the past to the present.