Spicy Steamed Rice Mini Balls/ Ammini Kara Kozhukattai

Ammini Kozhukattai is a traditional dish made during festival days as a breakfast dish. We can make many variations in its preparation to make different tasty Kozhukattai. This version is a spicy and flavorful masala coated Kozhukattai.  Ammini means mini or small.

Ingredients:

For preparing the dough:

Rice Flour – 1 cup

Water – 1 ¾ cups

Ghee or Oil – 1 tsp

Salt – to suit taste (1/4 tsp in general)

For Masala Powder (Spicy Powder):

Whole Black Pepper Corns – 12 to 14

Channa Dal – 1 tsp

Fresh Grated Coconut – ¼ cup

Curry Leaves – from 1 twig

Red Chilli Powder – ¼ tsp

Asafoetida – small pinch

Salt to taste

Method:

Heat a frying pan. Dry roast the Rice Flour for 2 to 3 minutes in low flame.

Boil the water in a sauce pan. Add Salt and Oil (or Ghee). Add the Roasted Rice Flour little by little and mix with a ladle.

Once it forms as a lump, switch off the flame and cover the pan with a lid immediately. Allow it to rest for 6 to 8 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a flat dish. Knead it soft.

Grease your palms with little Oil. Make small balls from the dough.

Place the balls of the dough in a greased steaming plate. Steam them for 7 to 8 minutes. Remove the plate and allow the balls to cool.

Let us now make the spicy powder. Heat a pan and dry roast the Pepper Corns, Channa Dal and Urad Dal in it till the Dal turns golden. Transfer them to a plate.

In the same pan, dry roast the grated Coconut and curry leaves till the Coconut turns golden in color.

Add the above to the roasted Dals and Pepper Corns. Add Chilli powder. Crush all of them together to a fine powder.

Heat 2 tbsp of Oil in the pan. Add Mustard and Urad Dal. Allow the Mustards to crackle. Add Curry Leaves and Asafoetida. Stir fry for a few seconds.

Add the steamed mini (small) Kozhukattai and the crushed spice powder. Mix them well and adjust Salt, if required.

Toss them a few times till the balls are coated evenly with the spicy powder.

The Ammini Kozhukattai is ready to serve.

Note: The quantity of water would differ depending on the quality and variety of the rice powder.

If the dough becomes loose, you can add little Rice flour and adjust the consistency.

If the dough becomes too stiff, you can add one ot two spoons of hot water and knead the dough smooth.