Pondicherry Coconut Masakkali
Soft steamed rice flour and coconut sweet dumplings, a grandmother-style teatime treat made in Puducherry's Tamil households for festive occasions.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 210 kcal
Equipment
- •Steamer
- •Mixing bowl
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- fat
- 6 g
- carbs
- 38 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 3 g
- calories
- 210 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Melt the jaggery (unrefined cane sugar) with 3 tablespoons of water in a pan over low heat. Pour it through a sieve to remove impurities.
- 2
Mix the grated coconut, melted jaggery, and cardamom powder together. Cook for 5 minutes until the mixture thickens into a filling.
- 3
Mix rice flour with a pinch of salt in a separate bowl. Slowly add warm water and knead into a smooth, soft dough.
- 4
Divide the dough into small balls. Flatten each ball into a small disc.
- 5
Place a spoonful of the coconut-jaggery filling in the centre. Fold and seal the edges to make a small dumpling.
- 6
Rub a steamer plate with ghee (clarified butter). Place the dumplings on the plate without letting them touch.
- 7
Steam for 12–15 minutes. Check that the dough looks glossy and feels firm to the touch.
- 8
Let them cool slightly. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if using, and serve warm.
Chef's tips
Keep the rice flour dough soft but not sticky by adding warm water slowly. Do not overfill the dumplings or they may burst open while steaming.
Ingredient substitutions
- jaggery → brown sugar
- rice flour → store-bought idiyappam flour
Storage
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for a day, or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Reheating
Steam briefly for a couple of minutes to soften before serving again.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Using cold water in the dough, which makes it crack while shaping
- •Overcooking the filling until it becomes too dry to fold
Serving suggestions
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