Free The Best Of Samaithu Paar by S Meenakshi Ammal

the next day. Sift through a fine sieve. Alternatively, after washing the rice, pound in a stone mortar with an iron pestle, sift through a fine sieve and dry in the shade. The flour should be completely dry to avoid lumps at the time of using. In case the flour is not quite dry, or if the rice is new, reduce the quantity of water to be used. Ready-made rice flour can also be used.
    Boil 3½-4 cups water with salt and oil. Add the rice flour. Keep turning with a spoon for about 5 minutes. Do not allow lumps to form. Soak a white cloth in water and rinse out. Spread it over a plate. Empty the hot, cooked flour over the cloth. Tie the cloth into a bundle and keep aside. (This will keep the flour free from lumps.) When cold, untie the bundle and knead well. Make it into three equal parts and keep covered with a cloth. Take a little of the flour and knead well into dough with a little water, if necessary. Grease your palms with a little oil. Take a small lump of the kneaded dough and shape it in your palms into a cup. Fill the cup with the prepared filling and close all the sides well to prepare the ‘kozhukattai’. Make ‘kozhukattais’ with all the dough and fillings.
    Ingredients
    Rice 2 cups
    Salt 1 tsp
    Gingelly oil 1 tsp
    For the filling
    Coconut 1 (large)
    Powdered jaggery or sugar ¾ cup
    Green cardamoms 6-10
    Place a single idli tray in a vessel with water in the bottom. Cover the vessel and bring the water to boil. Spread a white cloth over the tray and place a greased plantain leaf over it. Arrange a few ‘kozhukattais’ on it. Close the vessel and steam them over a high flame for about 10 minutes till the ‘kozhikattais’ are cooked. Wait till the steam condenses and drips out. This is an indication that the ‘kozhukattais’ are cooked. (The colour would have changed and they will not stick.) Open the lid. Take the tray out and pull out the leaf with the ‘kozhukattais’ on to another plate. Sprinkle a little water over the plate. Spread another greased leaf on the tray and arrange a few more ‘kozhukattais’. Steam as before. Repeat till all the ‘kozhukattais’ are cooked.
    For the filling: Grate the coconut finely. Add a little water to the powdered jaggery and place on fire. Wait till the jaggery melts and the water begins to boil. The syrup will thicken and froth up, giving a nice aroma. Add coconut gratings. Go on stirring over a slow fire. Cook till water is fully absorbed and the filling becomes sticky. Remove from fire. Powder the cardamom and add. Cover the mixture and let it cool. If sugar has been used, add a little water and boil till the syrup thickens and froths up. Add coconut gratings. Go on turning till the water is fully absorbed. Remove. Mix cardamom powder. Keep covered and let it cool.

S WEET C HEEDAI
    Wash and soak the rice for 3-4 hours. Dry the rice and powder in a mill or mixie/food processor. Sift the flour through a coarse sieve. Roast the sieved flour in a hot iron or earthen pan. When the flour can be drawn into a line (holding a small pinch of flour between the thumb and forefinger, draw a line with it on the counter), remove from fire. Sift once more, and ensure all the lumps are broken.
    Add ¼ cup water to the jaggery. Place on fire and prepare a thin syrup. When the syrup begins to smell appetising, drop a little into a cup of water and check consistency. The jaggery syrup should be soft enough to be rolled, but firm enough to float on the water. When the syrup is ready, remove from fire. Add the roasted and sieved flour. Mix well, turning well with a ladle.
    Cut coconut into very fine bits. Dry roast black gram dhal and powder it to make a very smooth powder. Add the coconut, dhal powder, cardamom powder and gingelly seeds to the rice flour in the jaggery syrup. Knead into a smooth firm dough. Pinch and roll into small marble-sized balls and spread the ‘cheedai’ on a cloth. Do not smooth the surface of the balls too much.
    Heat vanaspati, oil or ghee in a frying