Kara Pidi Kozhukattai Recipe is nothing but a savoury dumpling made with rice flour, tempered with spices and steamed, which makes it a healthy and even gluten-free snack. I usually make this uppu kozhukattai for breakfast with coconut chutney or kara chutney, sometimes as an evening snack with a cup of strong filter coffee. The name of this dish seems to be different for some of you but the answer is – as we press the dough tightly (pidi in Tamil) to make finger impressions. I have already shared sweet pidi kozhukattai made with jaggery, do check that recipe also. If you have the rice flour in hand both this kozhukattai can be prepared in minutes with the available ingredients in your kitchen. I have added a short YouTube video too, do watch it and please don’t forget to subscribe to my channel too…
Find my other Low Fat / Steamed Recipes like
1. Soft Idli
2. Modak / Thengai Poorna kozhukattai
3. Rava Idli
4. Mini kozhukattai / Kara Ammini Kozhukattai

Kara Pidi Kozhukattai Recipe

Kara Pidi Kozhukattai Recipe | Uppu Kozhukattai
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Rice Flour
- 2 to 2.5 Cups Water
- Salt As Required
To Temper
- 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1 tsp Urad Dal / Ulutham Paruppu
- 1 tsp Bengal Gram / Kadalai Paruppu
- 3 to 4 Red Chilli / Vara Millagai
- 2 Pinch Hing
- 1/4 Cup Grated Coconut
- 2 Sprig Curry Leaves
Instructions
- First, measure and keep all the ingredients ready. Then, grate coconut, cut red chilli and curry leaves finely.
- Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once it starts to splutter, add urad dal, channa dal, red chilli and fry till golden colour. Then throw some curry leaves.
- Sprinkle hing, add grated coconut and fry till golden colour.
- Pour 2 cups of water and add required salt.
- Simmer the flame and add the rice flour slowly and in a sprinkled way to avoid lump formation. Stir continuously in low flame for 4 to 5 minutes, till it forms a mass. If there are a few lumps no need to worry, as we keep mixing it becomes smooth.
- Cook covered for 2 minutes and now the mixture completely leaves the pan and comes together. Ensure the dough is completely cooked before steaming, to get soft kozhukattai.
- When it is hand bearable that is warm, knead the dough a little. Grease your hand with sesame oil, pinch equal sized dough and roll into balls. Take a ball, make into oval/oblong shape and press it with your fingers to make the impression. Do the same till the dough is over. Grease a steamer or idli plate with little oil. Arrange the kozhukattai and cook covered.
- Steam it for 8 to 10 minutes in medium flame, once the kozhukattai is cooked it turns glossy.
Try this uppu kozhukattai as a snack with onion chutney.
Video
Notes
- Chop the red chilli and curry leaves finely, so it won't get stuck in the mouth while eating.
- I suggest using sesame oil for tempering, which lends a wonderful aroma to the kara pidi kozhukattai recipe.
- Add hing and curry leaves generously for a flavourful uppu kozhukattai recipe.
- I used readymade rice/idiyappam flour (Nirapara Brand). But you can use homemade flour too.
- Water quantity varies on the quality of the rice flour used, so adjust water accordingly.
- Always simmer the flame and then add the rice flour to the boiling water. Also add it slowly and in a sprinkled way to avoid lumps formation.
- Ensure the rice flour is well cooked without any lumps before steaming, to get soft kozhukattai.
- Also, make the kozhukattai when the dough is warm itself, else you cannot shape it.
- Furthermore, if making in a large batch, keep the dough covered with a damp wet cloth to avoid drying.
Method for Kara Pidi Kozhukattai Recipe
1. First, measure and keep all the ingredients ready. Then, grate coconut, cut red chilli and curry leaves finely.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once it starts to splutter, add urad dal, channa dal, red chilli and fry till golden colour. Then throw some curry leaves.
3. Sprinkle hing, add grated coconut and fry till golden colour.
4. Pour 2 cups of water and add required salt.
5. Simmer the flame and add the rice flour slowly and in a sprinkled way to avoid lump formation. Stir continuously in low flame for 4 to 5 minutes, till it forms a mass. If there are a few lumps no need to worry, as we keep mixing it becomes smooth.
6. Cook covered for 2 minutes and now the mixture completely leaves the pan and comes together. Ensure the dough is completely cooked before steaming, to get soft kozhukattai.
7. When it is hand bearable that is warm, knead the dough a little. Grease your hand with sesame oil, pinch equal-sized dough and roll into balls. Take a ball, make into oval/oblong shape and press it with your fingers to make the impression. Do the same till the dough is over. Grease a steamer or idli plate with little oil. Arrange the kozhukattai and cook covered.
8. Steam it for 8 to 10 minutes in medium flame, once the kozhukattai is cooked it turns glossy.
Try this uppu kozhukattai as a snack with onion chutney.

Uppu Kozhukattai Recipe
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