Nei Mani kolukattai/Ghee Kolukattai/Ammani kozhukattai

Nei kolukattai is my all time favourite recipe from my childhood. Usually I have seen many people use grind the rice cook it in boiling water then knead to prepare balls for kolukattai which is a lengthy process. Here I have given a simple method which I learnt from my Grandma, still I am following this method particular for this nei kolukattai.

 

Preparation time: 4hrs 15mins

Cook time: 15mins

Total time: 4hrs 30mins

Serve: 2

Cuisine: Indian

Type: Breakfast, snacks

 

Ingredients:

Rice -1cup

Salt- as required

Coconut- ¼ cup

*1cup=185ml

 

To temper:

Ghee- 2tbsp

Jaggery powder/sugar- 2tbsp

Curry leaves- 2sprig

Cumin seeds- ¼ tsp

 

How to prepare Nei kolukattai:

• Wash and soak the rice for 3-4hours or overnight. Drain the water and roughly powder along with salt and coconut.
• Once powdered sprinkle water and grind to a coarse paste, the grain should be like fine rava. (Make sure water is sprinkled just to make the mixer run, don't add more water, as we are not gonna cook this in water before shaping kolukattai)
• Transfer to a bowl mix well, now this should be in tight dough consistency, shape small round balls. If the ball is not holding the shape, sprinkle some water and shape them.
• At this point take 2tbsp of rice paste and keep aside if you are planning to prepare Kolukattai porridge which can be given to toddlers and even adults.
• If you are a beginner the easy method is to steam cook for 8-10mins kolukattai will be ready.
• Another method is to heat water in a kadai, once it forms a tiny bubbles at bottom of the pan gently add the balls one after other and cook for 8-10mins. This method I learnt from my granny.
• To confirm the balls are cooked just break one ball and check the uniform colour of the balls.
• Remove the balls from flame and transfer to a colander. In a kadai add ghee temper cumin seeds in it, then add curry leaves, finally add the jaggery powder, stir for a second immediately add cooked balls in it. Stir well to make sure all the balls are coated well with jaggery. Transfer to a plate and nei kolukattai is ready to serve.

For making Kolukattai porridge:

• Take 2tbsp of grind paste, add this to 250ml water, mix will and add jaggery powder in it.
• Now keep it in low flame and cook till it thickens. Kolukattai porridge is ready to serve.
• If you cook the kolukattai by directly adding it to water you can use same the cooked water for preparing this porridge.

 

Tips:

• While grinding you added more water just add some roasted rice flour to the paste and bring back to tight dough consistency. At times this may reduce the softness of the kolukattai.
• Use Pulungal rice for this recipe, this can also be prepared using raw rice. But if you cook raw rice directly in water the this balls may looks little sticky from outside once you add this to ghee jaggery mixture it will become perfect. I have tried this is raw rice as well as in Pulungal arisi.