Sweet coconut Mothagam (using steamer basket)

kolukattai - Indian rice dumplings , usually stuffed with sweet stuffings. The kolukattai goes by the name of the stuffing inside. Jaggery (Indian brown sugar) mixed with either channa dal or shredded coconut or dry fruits or any other creative ingredient is called pooranam (core). The outer layer is made of one ingredient , the rice flour. But the outer layer preparation needs little more skill, experience and dedication (LOL).  After many experimentations I have found the fool-proof way to prepare the rice flour and that's nothing but the old way, and I have given it below.

The thengai kolukattai (coconut stuffing), is the most common and easy one.

I usually steam cook the kolukattai using a idli steaming vessel. But this time I used my rice cooker's steamer basket and got better results. The kolukattais steamed in an electric rice cooker are more softer, they could hold the shape very nicely (without cracks).  The uniform release of steam has made that possible, I guess.

Anyways try this and enjoy a yummy snack.

Kolukattai prepared using rice cooker's steam basket

Ingredients:
(For 15 mothagam)
Pooranam (sweet stuffing):
shredded coconut - 3/4 cup
besan flour - 2 tbsp (optional)
crushed jaggery - 3/4 cup
cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Outer layer for mothagam:
rice flour - 1 1/2 cup
water - 3 cup
salt - 1/2 tsp
coconut oil - 1 tbsp

Step 1. Outer layer:
Take the rice flour in a pan.
Dry roast it in a dry pan to loose all the moisture.
Add water, oil , salt to the flour so that it becomes like a thick dosa batter.
Now heat the mixture in very low flame and stir continuously, till we get a thick transparent rice dough.
Take off heat and let it cool.

Step 2: Pooranam preparation:
Shred a coconut and keep it handy (3/4 cup shredded coconut). I used frozen shredded coconut, which I had bought from Indian grocery store.
Add 1/4 cup water to the crushed jaggery and heat it, so that the jaggery dissolves completely. (I use soft North Indian style jaggery).
Using a strainer, filter the jaggery solution leaving behind the sediments.
Add the jaggery solution to the shredded coconut and start heating it with frequent stirring.
Stir the sweet mixture till it becomes manageable.
Add besan flour and cardamom. Stir till it becomes thick.
(Adding besan flour is optional, but it makes the job easy).
Sweet coconut Pooranam is ready.

Step 3:
Now take a small ball of rice dough, flatten it on an oiled / wet  plastic sheet.
Put one scoop of sweet pooranam over the rice disc. Fold and make it like a ball.  
(Fold it to semi circle shape if we are using a somas mould). 
Place it inside a kolukattai mold and press to get required shape.
Arrange them all inside the steamer basket (or idli plates if using idli vessel).

Step 4:
Using steamer basket for mothagam preparation:
Switch ON the rice cooker with 2 cups of water.
Set it to steam cooking mode. Place the steamer basket as per instruction.
Arrange the mothagams and cook in steam for 15 minutes.
Let cool for few minutes, take out and enjoy !

Coconut mothagam is ready!

Caramelized peach

If you love extremely quick processes, then this 'quick dessert' is going to be in your good books forever.

I made this for a simple dinner when our Amalraj anna visited us. Summer is the peach season after 'mango time' here. It comes around 99 cents/lb - $ 2.99 / lb  depending upon the store. I wanted to make some dessert with seasonal fruits on that day. So I bought some 3 medium size peaches from stop and shop. Preparation is the key to any dinner. So I had cut the fruit and kept it handy  in fridge and started cooking while serving the dinner.  I made this in low heat in my cast iron skillet (which is my new favorite toy) . I got it from camping section of Walmart (3 various sized skillet set for $9 in their roll back savings offer price). I felt very happy to see how much anna love it. The hot caramelized peach served with homemade mango ice cream and store bought hagen dazs caramel ice cream became the center of attraction on that day.  

Saute' the peach slices in butter.

Cooking the peach slices with butter , brown sugar, cinnamon powder.

Cook in low heat till caramelized (say 10 mins).

My lil menu planning board 

Mint Lemon juice, onion uthappam, coconut chutney, sambar, Poori, kilangu, caramel peach with icecream.

Caramelized peach with mango ice cream and hagen dazs caramel ice cream.

Ingredients:

Peach (ripe) - 2

Brown sugar - 4 tbsp

butter - 2 tbsp

cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:

Wash and slice the peaches into long wedges.

Discard the seed.

Heat butter in a thick bottom skillet or vessel.

Arrange all the peach pieces and cook for 5 minutes in low heat.

Turn over. Spread the brown sugar, cinnamon powder and cook till the sugar gets caramelized (flavorful and brown color). 

Caramelized peach is ready !

Serving suggestion:

Serve HOT along with any ice cream of your choice.

Note:

This dessert can be traditionally prepared in oven too. But the above said method is quicker.