The season of kozhukattai and modaks is yet to begin but there is one that we make often at home. This is the pazham pidi kozhukattai. Very often this is made to avoid the banana going black even before I can reach out to it. Being a very simple, slightly sweet and warm the family likes it. On the other hand, I like it because it is simple, quick and easy to make. Let’s share that recipe with you so you can get that banana saved too.
What is pidi kozhukattai?
Pidi kozhukattai is a steamed snack (or breakfast) that’s often made in Tamil homes.This steamed dumpling is predominantly made with rice flour the shape of the dumpling is the one that gives its name. Pidi as in one handful that is slightly squished using the fingers to form the dent in the center. While steaming this oblong shape is a good things as it increases surface area and cooks faster.
Ingredient for the pazham pidi kozhukattai
This banana kozhukattai is an easy recipe with just a few ingredients
Rice flour : I have used red rice flour to make this recipe. This is roasted red rice not a fine powder but a bit coarse like puttu podi. infact you can use puttu podi instead.
Jaggery: Light brown jaggery melted into a syrup is used to bind the flour. Keep this lukewarm to help the flour bind well and end result be soft.
Coconut: I have used desiccated coconut to work with in this recipe. Grated fresh coconut honestly tastes so much better, but I did not have some this week.
Banana: Chop up the banana into bits and knead into the dough. this gives a bit of sweetness and flavour.
Cardamom:Banana and green cardamom are a good combination with classic Indian flavors. It is a sweet aroma and lovely fragrance when steamed.
Oil: basically to make this recipe you dont need oil, but it is needed to grease your palms while shaping the pididkozhukottai and also for the steamer.
How to make this shape of pidi kozhukattai?
It is fairly an easy hand process to shape this kozhukattai. The dough is firm so is easy to handle. Grease your palms to help you roll this dough using oil. Roll a small lime sized ball of dough in your greased palm. Roll them into a small log enough to fit longitudinally in your palm. Now close your fist and poke the finger tips into the dough (it is best not to have long nails when you are working with this shape). The fingertips only make a dent not go through them. This is the shape of pidikozukattai.
Is there a variety of banana to be used?
A few different types of bananas can give good results with this kozhukattai. I have used yellow Cavendish that is commonly available. I have tried it with plantain banana (nendrakkai), sugar banana (pisang raja) and poovan varieties of banana that arr successful. The sugar banana tastes the best. Let us know of you had success with other varieties.
Meal prep and lunchboxes
The pazham kozhulattai stays well in the fridge for four to five days. Store in an airtight meal prep container.It freezes OK but not to my satisfaction as it dries up when thawed and need to be re-steamed. This defeats the purpose of saving cooking time.
As for the lunch boxes this is a real treat. Take a few with you along with a good chickpea salad to have a sweet something.
As for the lunch boxes this is a real treat. Take a few with you along with a good chickpea salad to have a sweet something.
Pazham pidikozhukattai
Equipment
- Steamer
Ingredients
- 1 medium banana
- 1 cup Raw rice flour roasted
- 1 cup jaggery light
- 3/4 cup drinking water
- 1/4 cup dessicated coconut
- 1 tsp green cardamom powder
Instructions
- Boil the water and add the jaggery to dissolve it into a syrup.
- Mash the banana and set it aside till needed.
- Stir in the dessicated coconut int the jaggery syrup
- Add the mashed banana and mix well.
- Sift in the flour a little at a time, mix well.
- Keep this mix covered for 10 minutes.
- Grease the palms and knead into a smooth dough.
- Roll little logs of the dough.
- Press the fist and fingers onto it to shape it.
- Set up the steamer.
- place the kozhukattais in the steamer and steam for 10 minutes.
- Let it rest for 5 minutes and then remove from the steamer.
- The pazham kozhukattai is ready to serve.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Other recipes with leftover banana
We have a bit of recipes with leftover bananas so hope it comes in handy for you too. There are more banana recipes which you ca revive by typing banana into the search bar of this page.
Marbled banana bread
Unnadhuram
Marbled banana bread
Unnadhuram
Collaborations
The banana kozhukattai is my recipe towards Vegan recipe collection on Shh cooking challenge by Preethi. Preethi chose banana and coconut for me to work with and the banana kozhukattai as the result. Preethi has made an equally delicious chickpea salad with hidden tofu.
Stay connected
When you have some leftover bananas don’t miss to make a batch of these kozhukattai. This can be a functional naivedyum for Ganesh chaturthi or Navrathri. do share how you like these recipes from us or leave us a comment about this one.
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See you at the next post.
I am learning a new recipe here. Perfect dessert and use of the bananas going black very often.
I am learning a new recipe using up the blackened bananas that are in our fruit basket.
Exactly! here it always seems to be the one that beats me to proclaim its dark skin! I am sure you will love it, though your banana may not be happy you learnt this trick.
I have a bit of red puttu podi left over in the fridge. Kozhaukattai looks like a perfect recipe to make for Pillayar this Chaturthi ! great share, Seema
save the puttu podi, It will be a lovely naivedyum, You can make it with Elakki small banana, tastes really good.
Pazham pidikozhukattai Looks so delightful. I am surely going to make it tomorrow as I have all the ingredients for this . One of the best dessert to enjoy anytime .
What a lovely recipe! I love how you have used bananas and jaggery to make this beautiful pidi kozhukattai – we usually make savoury ones. Will definitely try out this Ganesh Chaturthi!