Ammini Kozhakattai

There many different kinds of savory kozhakattais (rice flour based dumplings). Of the many, ammini kozhakattais are a tasty and cute variation. They are commonly prepared from left-over rice-flour dough that's used to make the traditional sweet and savory kozhakattais. The left-over dough is rolled into small balls, steamed, and flavored with different kinds of spice-mixes. I am sharing three most common ways to flavor them.

Ingredients (serves 2 as a meal; serves 4 as a snack):

1. 1 cup rice flour
2. 2 tablespoons + a few teaspoons of sesame oil
3. 3 tablespoons of coriander seeds / dhania
4. 1.5 tablespoons of bengal gram / kadala paruppu
5. 2-3 dry red chillies
6. 2 tablespoons grated coconut
7. 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
8. 1 teaspoon split black gram / ulutham paruppu
9. a few curry leaves
10. 1/4 teaspoon hing / asafoetida
11. 1 teaspoon salt / per taste

Preparation:

1. Dry roast the coriander seeds, bengal gram, and red chillies until aromatic and the gram begins to change color. Remove from heat and cool. When cool, grind to a slightly coarse powder.
2. Bring 1.25 - 1.5 cups of water to a boil with a teaspoon of salt and a drizzle of sesame oil. 
3. Reduce heat to low, add rice flour and stir/mix until it comes together as a sticky mass
4. Remove from heat and while still warm, grease your fingers with sesame oil, and knead/pull together the mixture into a smooth dough. Keep covered with moist paper towel / towel
5. Continuing to grease your fingers with oil, roll out small balls of the dough. Steam for 10-15 minutes on high heat, until glossy and cooked. Gently separate the cooked balls.
6. Heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil. When hot, splutter mustard seeds
7. Add curry leaves and split black gram, and step away because the curry leaves will splutter. 
8. Reduce heat to low, add the cooked rice-flour balls and gently stir for a couple of minutes.
9. Sprinkle the prepared spice powder (from step 1) and coconut. Gently stir everything together and remove from heat. 

Serve hot and enjoy with other Chathurthi delicacies!

There are two more popular variations of spicing the ammini kozhakkatas. Once you prepare the steamed rice balls, you can spice them using these variations as well. 

Paruppu usili ammini kozhakattai:

1. Soak 1/2 cup of toor dal / tuvaram paruppu for 1-2 hours. Drain, and coarsely grind with 1-2 tablespoons of water and 3 red chillies. 
2. Steam the coarsely ground lentils for 12-15 minutes until cooked. 
3. Break down the cooked lentils with a fork or by running in a mixer a few seconds
4. Heat a couple of tablespoons of sesame oil. Splutter 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds, some curry leaves. Add 1/2 teaspoon hing, 1 teaspoon split black gram. Then add the lentils. Fry for a few minutes (add more oil if needed) until the lentils begin to change color
5. Reduce heat to low, add the cooked rice balls and stir gently for 2-3 minutes to mix everything. Remove from heat and serve

Ulutham ammini kozhakattai (this is basically the deconstructed version of traditional uppu/savory kozhakattai):

1. Wash and soak 3/4 cup of whole black gram for 1-2 hours. Drain, and grind with salt and 2-3 green chillies to a coarse paste (add as little water as possible while grinding)
2. Transfer this to a greased steamer (or greased idli plates) and steam for 10-12 minutes until done (tester comes out clean)
3. When warm enough to handle, crumble the cooked gram into small pieces or gently pulse in a processor to break it down (pulsing in a mixer/blender is more effective).
4. Heat a tablespoon (or two) of sesame oil in a pan. Splutter 1 teaspoon mustard seeds. Add hing, and curry leaves. Add the crumbled gram and fry on medium heat until it begins to crisp and brown slightly (takes about 15 minutes). 
5. Reduce the heat to low and add the prepared rice balls and gently stir for 2 minutes until everything is mixed. Remove from heat and serve