Kozhukatta
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Kozhukatta Recipe

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I was all set to post the recipe for Pesaha/Indri appam and Pesaha paal. Then I got a comment from one of my readers, Emie Peters, asking whether anyone knows the recipe for kozhukatta (Easter special). You might be wondering how kozhukatta (steamed rice dumpling with coconut & jaggery filling) is related to Easter, right? It goes like this.

Back home, we make kozhukatta either on the eve or morning of Palm Sunday. I dont know why kozhukatta is made and how it is related to Palm Sunday, but its like a custom. If any of you know why kozhukatta is made during Palm Sunday, please do share your thoughts here.  We usually say Osana Perunnal or Kuruthola Perunnal for Palm Sunday and since we make kozhukatta, its also known as kozhukatta perunal :)

Though I make kozhukatta  at times, I don't make it particularly on Palm Sunday. My kozhukattas usually come from the leftover dough of Idiyappam. But after reading Emie's comment I was all nostalgic about the Easter back home and decided to make kozhukatta :)

kozhukatta-filling
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Here is the recipe for kozhukatta:

kozhukatta
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Kozhukatta

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Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: Indian, Kerala, Keralan, South Indian
Author: Maria Jose Martin

Ingredients

  • 125 gms Rice flour (approx 1 cup)
  • 100 gms Jaggery
  • 3/4 cup Grated Coconut
  • 1/2 tsp Ghee (optional)
  • 1-2 Crushed cardamom
  • 1 cup Water (refer notes)
  • Salt

Instructions

  • For the filling
  • Melt the jaggery with 1/4 cup of water and strain it.
    Step 1 Kozhukatta
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  • Add the coconut to the filtered jaggery & mix well. Add ghee and cook till the liquid is dried up. Add crushed cardamom and remove from fire. Keep it aside.
    Step 2 Kozhukatta
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  • For the dough
  • Boil one cup of water with salt. Add the boiled water to the rice flour little by little and mix it with a wooden spatula/spoon. Keep it aside for 5 minutes or till it is warm enough to handle. Knead the dough and make it into a soft ball. The consistency of the dough should be same as that of Idiyappam dough and also the dough should not be sticky.
    Step 3 Kozhukatta
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  • Make medium size balls out of the dough. Take one ball at a time and place it in your palm. Press it with the other hand and make it thin. Start folding it inwards in such a way that you get a cup shape (please refer the pic given below). Place 1-2 tsp of the filling, cover it and roll it back into a ball. Repeat the process with the rest of the dough and filling.
    Step 4 Kozhukatta
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  • Steam the kozhukattas in appachembu/steamer for 9-10 minutes on medium flame. Keep it covered for 1 more minute. Serve warm.
    Step 5 Kozhukatta 1
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Notes

Notes: I use the appam/idiyappam podi to make kozhukatta. I use Nirapara brand. The qty of water required for kneading the dough depends on the appam podi. Hence it can vary between 1 – 1 1/2 cup. You've the right consistency when the dough is not sticking to your hand. You will get around 8 medium size kozhukattas with the above quantity. You can also add chopped nuts & raisins to the filling, if you wish.
Tried this recipe? Let others know by…mentioning @mariasmenu or tagging #mariasmenu
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94 thoughts on “Kozhukatta Recipe”

  2. From a Christian perspective, Easter eggs are said to represent Jesus’ emergence from the tomb and resurrection. … May be thats the Kozhukatta relation to Easter.

    Reply

  3. Kozhukatta is exactly the same ‘modak’ in marashtrian homes, which is associated with ganpati mahotsav. It has been a habit of christian missionaries to take local practices and customs and tie it to christianity some or the other way. So there you go. That explains why there is no common explanation for this easter custom, cuz first of all easter is not even Indian, and secondly, which is most likely, is that christian missionaries just appropriated the humble modak and tied it to easter.

    Reply

  4. Dear Maria, Your recipes are awesome.
    I just wanted to mention the significance of preparing kozhukatta on the 40 th Saturday of Lent or the day before Palm Sunday. This is the day when Jesus raised his friend Lazarus from dead. The hard shell of kozhukatta signifies the rock tomb and the coconut jaggery filling signifies Lazarus.
    Thank you.

    Reply

  5. Thank you so much for this recipe Mariachechi. The Kozhukkattas that I made was soft when I just took it out of the steamer, but when it cooled down it became hard as a rock. I wonder what could have gone wrong :(

    Reply

    • Hi Ann,

      You are welcome! Kozhukkatta tend to harden a little as it cools down but not too hard. I guess if the dough was a bit tight because of less amount of water or if it’s overcooked also, it can be hard. Also the quality of rice flour is important to get a good texture.

      Hope it comes out perfect next time.

      Cheers
      Maria

      Reply

  6. Hi Maria,
    I haven’t see melting the Jaggery. Usually they mix jaggery and grated coconut + all other ingredients you have mentioned above.
    regards,
    Mathew

    Reply

  10. Hi Maria,

    Tried ur recipe today ( Kozhukatta). It was beautiful. Very well balanced flavours. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  11. i made kozhukkatta acc to ur recipe n it came wonderful!..thx emie peters for sharing ur recipe n also a big thx for you to post this here!
    Anu kurian

    Reply

  12. Hi maria,
    Was looking for the exact measurements . Thanks.

    And for kozhikottas being made the on the day before Palm Sunday i.e the day when Lord Jesus brought lazarus back to life. He asked the men to roll out the stone from infront of the cave and called out to lazarus.

    The kozhikotta is supposed to represents the stone and when opned reveals to sweet life the Our Lord gave.
    I hope i’m right

    Sharon

    Reply

  14. HI Maria, i tried this recipe and it was my first time making this snack…it turned out perfect although my jaggery looked darker than yours…are there 2 types of jaggery?thank u so much :)

    Reply

    • Hi Sana,

      You are welcome. I’m glad that it came out well for you. Yeah, there are different kinds of jaggery. I get 3 different shades of brown color jaggery here, light, medium & dark brown. I think I used light brown color jaggery that time & hence that color.

      Thanks a lot for the comment!

      Cheers
      Maria

      Reply

  17. Hi Maria, 

    Going through your pics and recipes got me the urge to make a kozhukotta – in such a long time! Pic posted here – You’re doing a superb job. Looking forward to your book too. 

    Asha

    Reply

    • Hi Asha,

      Thank you so much! The pics looks so tempting, feel like grabbing it :)

      Thanks for posting the picture here. If you dont mind, I will post it in the FB page too…

      Cheers
      Maria

      Reply

  18. Maria..this is the second keeper recipe I tried frm here! (bet. me hubby n kid) the perfect measure recipe of 8 k’s got over in one sitting! Best! U rock wt this! THks again!

    Reply

  19. Maria..this is the second keeper recipe I tried frm here! (bet. me hubby n kid) the perfect measure recipe of 8 k’s got over in one sitting! Best! U rock wt this! THks again!

    Reply

    • Hi Purnima,

      You are welcome dear :) You know what… its been ages I had this n after reading your comment, I’m craving for some :(

      Thanks again for trying the recipes from here n also for taking time to share your feedback.

      Cheers
      Maria

      Reply

  20. I am staying far way from my family.I tried the kozhukatta using the recipe.its really very easy and reproducable.
    Thank you

    Reply

    • Hi Dr. Prasad,

      Thanks for trying this recipe & also for sharing your feedback here. Great to know that it came out well for you.

      Cheers
      Maria

      Reply

  21. Hi Maria,
    did you use fresh coconut for this recipe? i am not sure if i can get fresh coconut.Do let me know what u used in ur cooking
    Waiting for ur reply..
    thanks

    Reply

    • Hi Anupama,

      Thanks for trying this & happy to hear that you liked it :) Its one of our fav palaharams…Thanks for sharing your feedback here.

      Cheers
      Maria

      Reply

  23. Dear Maria,Planning to make Kozhukatta(Really feel like having) can u please clear my doubts?
    How long should we melt the jaggery and How i should strain the melted jaggery?
    Can i use Poottu Podi (Nirapara brand) instead of appam/idiyappam podi?

    Reply

    • Hi Tina,

      First of all, I’m so sorry for the delayed reply. I missed your comment somehow :(

      You need to melt the jaggery till it becomes liquidy. You can use a steel arippa for straining it. I normally use Idiyappam/appam podi & havent tried yet with puttu podi. Since puttu podi is kinda coarse, I dont know whether it will give the correct texture.

      I know this reply comes very late …once again I’m really sorry :(

      Cheers
      Maria

      Reply

  24. Hi Maria
    Lovely work with the website your Kozhikatta looks great and I love it but my husband doesnt hve a sweet tooth. I remember eating a spicy version of this a long time back was wondering if you have the recipe

    Regards
    Anisha .

    Reply

    • Hi Anisha

      Thanks dear.

      Though I’ve come across some recipes that fits your explanation, I haven’t tried the spicy version yet :(. If I happen to try it & turns out good, will post it here.

      Hope you find a good recipe for the same in the meanwhile..

      Cheers
      Maria

      Reply

  25. Kozhukkatta has been my all time favourite and reminds me of my grandma. My mom never makes this.
    Tried it today and thanks to u for the recipe, it came out really well.

    Reply

  27. HI Maria,
    A small tip to you kozhikatta recipe. Along with rice powder add a bit of ragi powder as well. It makes it more healthy and colorful as well(as my son calls it red kozhikatta:)

    Reply

    • Hi Sunitha,

      Thank you for the comment and also for the tip :)

      I’ve heard about gothambu kozhukatta, but adding ragi is new. Will give it a try next time.

      Cheers
      Maria

      Reply

  28. Dear Maria,

    Your recipes are supperrbbb…. Its mouth watering.I am going to start making all these recipes.Keep posting new recipes.

    takecare,
    Soumya

    Reply

    • HI Soumya,

      Thank you so much :)

      Please do try these recipes and tell me your feedback. I would like to know it.

      Happy cooking :)

      Cheers
      Maria

      Reply

    • Hi Sindhu,

      Thank you :)

      I’ve also posted Vattayappam, Palappam and Kallappam and Puttu recipe made with rice powder. Please do check out that.

      Cheers
      Maria

      Reply

  30. Half of it is my theory but the rest i know is factual.
    We all know about Easter eggs that signify ‘new life’ in Jesus Christ.
    Kozhukatta aka Kozhi-katta (loosely translated into ‘a piece of hen’) resembles an egg in appearance. It is the Indian or rather Keralite derivative of Easter Egg. The reason why it is made on Palm Sunday and not Easter is that it is very simple in taste and nature compared to the elaborate Keralite Easter menu. Also, Palm Sunday being the happier event among all the ones that follow it before Easter makes it an occasion for the consumption of Kozhukatta which is in anticipation of the New Life on that day.

    I hope this explanation is at least fractionally satisfactory.

    Good website by the way!

    Reply

  31. pics are so good and tempting. tdy evening i was planning to make but had some small clarifications and hence came to your blog. actually we just mix the jaggery to the coconut and not fry it.anyways i am going to try your way. thanks a lot

    Reply

  32. hello Maria, I’m a chef in the U.S. I have a blog for Pan-Orthodox Christian traditianal foods. I would love to use your photo and recipe for it. Of course you’d get all the credit. Would you mind? And what is Jaggery?
    thanks.

    Reply

  33. Hi dear …
    kure naal aayi evide vannittu …pinne enthokke und visesham ..kozhukatta nannayirikkunnu ..photoyum adippoli …. eni enna nattilekku ..njagal july 4th nu pokum ..2 months vacation …

    Reply

  38. such a warm and wonderful site!!! mishmash, spice and rice and now i found ur blog….sometimes its such a pleasure to read the amount of passion you all add too ur dishes.

    You are like an artist!!!

    Reply

  39. Hello… I really like your pics… and ofc, your cooking. These kozhukkatta looks so yum, it is hard to believe it is only kozhukkatta and not some exotic dish… Do you have a recipe for kinnathappam? I have only eaten it once, and I loved it… but I dont have a recipe…

    Reply

    • Hi Neetha

      Thanks a lot for visiting. Sorry for the delayed reply, am in India now for holidays. Very happy to know that you like the pics, I will try to post kinnathappam recipe once am back. Please do try other recipes when you’ve time.

      Reply

      • @Maria,

        Love your recipes… going to do kozhukkatta this weekend….. thanks for the recipes .. such a relief when far away to get Mum’s recipes around :-)

        By d way, r u a teresian??? me too…wondering if we knew each other…

        Leeza

        Reply

        • @Leeza thalakkottur,
          Did the kozhukkatta, thanks a lt..Amazing as ur recipes always !!!

          I did my schooling n PreDEgree in STC… Passed out in ’99.. We were of the same batch then..

          Leez

          Reply

  42. Hi Anjali – thanks a lot for dropping in. Please do tr the recipes and let me know. Hope you will like it :)

    Ann dear – thanks a lot for trying this out and letting me know about it. Am very happy to hear that you’ve started trying mallu dishes, great going dear :)

    Hi Mathew – It’s a regular at my place too, my bro loves it so we used to have it for breakfast everyday. Hope you will give it a try :)

    Reply

  43. it used to be a regular at my home…never was my favourite coz it was too sweet for me..but this pic makes me want it..it has been ages since i had …

    Reply

  44. Yummmy!!! i tried this out and it was delicious… it didnt look as perfect as your but nonetheless it was yummyy…. i usually dont cook mallu dishes… my husband almost fell off his chair seeing what i made for breakfast…. you have inspired me to cook mallu stuff… thanks alot Maria… and…
    Great Recipie!!!!

    Reply

  47. Hi Tinu

    Yes, kozhukattas are yummy, no doubt abt it :). Thanks for sharing that info abt why kozhukattas are made. Even others have said the same thing.

    Reply

  48. i just had kozhukkata yday…yummy, right…i too have heard that it is in remebrance of those stones that were hurled on Lord Jesus, kozhukkattas are made ….

    Reply

  49. HC – You are always welcome to Bahrain :), btw I like ada more than kozhukatta ;)

    Priya – thanks a lot dear :)

    Thanks Varsha and no more “motta” dishes for some time ;)

    Thanks ammu and yes, I remembered kozhukatta perunal :). I guess kozhukattas get better with practice, so you keep making and I think getting the right consistency of dough is very imp and also the quality of rice flour.

    Thank you Divya. Even mine doesnt come like this always. This time I took time to and prepared it, I guess that worked :) and hey am waiting to see your Easter post.

    Thanks Asha, hope you made some on Palm Sunday.

    Emie – thanks for that info and hey once again thanks a ton for reminding me about kozhukattas :)

    Thanks Ria dear :)

    Rachel – at my place too, its a fav tea time snack.

    George – thank you for dropping in and taking time to share that info about Palm Sunday here. Btw, I’ve some relatives in Thodupuzha :)

    Reply

  50. kozhukkatta symbolizes the stones thrown at Jesus, that’s what I head growing up back home in Thodupuzha. Actually we celebrate it on the Saturday before Palm Sunday( Kozhukkatta Saniyazhcha).
    Thnaks George

    Reply

  53. Thanks Maria, Thank you very much… i heard its reminds stones which they thrown on Jesus… not very sure… and waiting for Sunday to come…Once a again thanks…

    Reply

  54. Looks perfect Maria! Its been such a long time since I made these. You’ve tempted me to try it soon!
    LOL at the kozhukkatta perunnal :D

    Reply

  55. Mariaaaa…the pic is so tempting!!Though I make kozhukkata once in a while,I’ve never been able to get that perfect look..which yours have!!I follow a very similar recipe…I’ve been looking for an easy recipe to post for Easter and you gave me a great idea;-).

    Reply

  56. I had forgotten tht Kozhukatta perunnal is almost near..u remember tht we called it tht way ? urs look very nice..i liked the colour of the filling..i made it only once and my outside looked all colourless coz of some of the filling getting juiced n coming outside thru cracks..urs look very white..share some tips abt urs..

    Reply

  57. oh yum..They look great n perfect Maria..Aadyam i thought it some ‘Motta’ dish,before seeing the title..cos I havent seen so perfect one’s..I guess I have to make this soon..So tempting me n made me nostalgic..:)

    Reply

  59. I love love kozhukatta . Mom made this very often even if it was not easter. I love this and the adai.
    Every time i go back home one thing i ask mu mom to make is this kozhukatta and the filled ada.
    Wish i was really living next to you so i can have these.

    Reply

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