Sweet Aval Pidi Kozhukattai | Naivedyam recipes

Name: Sweet Aval Pidi Kozhukattai | Naivedyam recipes | Gluten free snack
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup Flattened Rice (Poha / Aval / Chooda / Avalakki); 1/4 cup Jaggery; 1/2 tsp Cardamom powder; 1/4 cup Fresh Coconut (or about 2 TBSP); 1 cup Water (I used a little less than this); 1 TBSP Ghee (skip for vegan); 1/8 tsp Salt

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Kozhukattai or South Indian steamed dumplings is a healthy snack or Prasadam made for festivals. Sweet Aval Pidi Kozhukattai is a healthy dumpling made with flattened rice, jaggery and Coconut

Variants to Kozhukattai can be with Rice (like this savoury Brown Rice Kozhukattai) or the ones made with the rice flour Ammini Kozhukkatai or the soft and delish Kara Podi Kozhukattai

Today, for Naivedyam for Ganesh Festival, we are using Aval / flattened rice as the base for a sweet, steamed Kozhukattai.

Health benefits of Aval / Poha in everyday cooking

Aval / Avalakki / Poha (more so the Red variety) is high in B12 and Calcium. Eating poha on a regular basis can prevent iron deficiency or anaemia as it contains 20 mg of iron in every 100g raw rice flakes. We love Poha as an ingredient in most forms - Lemon Poha, Microwave Poha Chivda, Dadpe Pohe, Vangi Poha,Gojjavalakki,Curry leaf poha, Curd Poha, Indori Poha, Patal Pohyache Chivda etc.

Today we use White Poha in this yummy steamed snack thats apt for Naivedyam for Ganpati or any festival, but Red poha works best . If the kids love sweet nibbles, then this is a perfect treat for their sweet tooth.

Other Naivedyam / Prasadam recipes you may like on the blog:

Ammini Kozhukattai | Steamed rice flour dumplings | Naivedyam recipes

Ammini Kozhukattai or Mani Kozhukattai is an offering made to Lord Ganesh for the festival. These are steamed rice flour dumplings, tempered lightly. Served as a light snack too

Check out this recipe

Brown Rice Kara Kozhukattai

Kara Kozhukattai or Kara Pidi Kozhukattai (steamed rice dumpling) is a very popular snack or tiffin served in Tamil households for an evening snack or dinner.

Check out this recipe

Rasayana | ರಸಾಯನ | Rama navami recipe

Rasayana is a a Quick Banana Relish with Jaggery and coconut. Often offered as an offering / Naivedyam during Pujas

Check out this recipe

Thengai Saadam | Iyengar Style Coconut Rice | Navratri Prasadam

Thengai Saadam or Temple Style Coconut Rice is a No onion No garlic Tempered Rice with Grated Coconut and basic spices. Can also be made for lunchboxes.

Check out this recipe

Thengai Saadam or Temple Style Cooconut RIce is a No onion No garlic Tempered Rice with Grated Coconut and basic spices.

Ellu Saadam | Ellogarai | Temple Style Sesame flavoured Rice

Ellu Saadam or Ellogarai is a Temple Style Prasadam or offering made in South Indian Homes and/ or Temples. It is a Gluten Free, Vegan Spiced Rice made with sesame seeds.

Check out this recipe

Moong Dal Kosambari | Ramanavami Vadapappu

Moong dal Kosambari is a light salad made with split green gram and served as a salad or Prasad during Festivals

Check out this recipe

Lets see how to make this..

Sweet Aval Kozhukattai | flattened rice steamed sweet snack

Course: Naivedyam / Prasadam / Snack

Prep time : 10 mins ; cook time : 10 mins ; Makes : 6-8 nos

Tips and Tricks to make a yummy Aval Pidi Kozhukattai

The poha needs to be powdered slightly coarse and not fine, else the dough becomes sticky.
The ratio of jaggery to the poha was perfect for us for a mildly sweet snack. Please feel free to increase the sweetness if required.
This dish is best made with Red (hand beaten) poha. If using that variant, you may require a little more water.

What you need to make Sweet Aval Pidi Kozhukattai:

½ cup Flattened Rice (Poha / Aval / Chooda / Avalakki)
¼ cup Jaggery
½ teaspoon Cardamom powder
¼ cup Fresh Coconut (or about 2 TBSP)
1 cup Water (I used a little less than this)
1 tablespoon Ghee (skip for vegan)
⅛ teaspoon Salt

**This dish is very mildly sweet but we liked it that way. You may use 1:⅔ ratio of poha if you prefer it to be sweeter.

PIN FOR LATER

How to make Sweet Aval Pidi Kozhukattai

Coarsely powder the poha. In a non stick pan, add the jaggery and half the water and gently simmer till the jaggery melts, strain the water and add it back to the pan if the jaggery has impurities (I didn't strain as the quality of jaggery was good).
Now add the cardamom powder, ghee , a pinch of salt and bring to a rolling boil adding the remaining water,now add the powdered poha, coconut and stir vigorously till it comes together and leaves the sides of the pan
With greased / wet hands, make Impressions with your fist (or Pidi) on one portion of the dough and steam in a steamer for 6-8 mins till they turn glossy. Serve warm or with a drop of ghee.