Paneer Kozhukattai brings together the best of South Indian tradition with a rich, sweet filling that will make your taste buds dance with joy. These little parcels of happiness are steamed dumplings that look fancy but are surprisingly easy to make at home. The soft rice flour exterior wraps around a heavenly mixture of paneer, khoya, and aromatic spices. I love making these during festivals because they always bring smiles to everyone’s faces. The combination of textures and flavors makes each bite without a doubt delightful.
About the Recipe
This recipe transforms simple ingredients into something truly magical. The sweet paneer filling paired with the soft rice flour covering creates the perfect balance of flavors and textures. What makes this recipe special is how the jaggery syrup binds everything together while the nuts add a lovely crunch. You don’t need any fancy equipment – just a regular steamer or idli cooker works perfectly. These dumplings are naturally vegetarian and make wonderful gifts for neighbors during festive seasons. The best part? They taste even better the next day.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These dumplings are like little treasure boxes filled with sweetness. The paneer and khoya filling is incredibly rich and satisfying, while the cardamom adds that perfect aromatic touch. What I love most is how the rice flour dough becomes perfectly tender after steaming. The nuts give each bite a delightful crunch that contrasts beautifully with the creamy filling. They’re not too sweet, making them perfect for any time of day. Plus, making them is actually quite therapeutic – there’s something so satisfying about shaping each dumpling by hand. Your kitchen will smell without a doubt amazing while they’re steaming.
Paneer Kozhukattai / Paneer Modak
Cooking Tips
Keep the rice flour dough covered with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out while you work. Make sure your jaggery syrup is thick enough – it should coat the back of a spoon. If the filling seems too wet, cook it a bit longer until it holds together well. When shaping the dumplings, keep your hands slightly moist to prevent sticking. Don’t overfill the dumplings or they might burst while steaming. Steam them on medium heat for the best results.
Serving and Storing Suggestions
This recipe makes about 12-15 dumplings and takes roughly 45 minutes to prepare and cook. Serve them warm as a dessert or sweet snack with a cup of tea or coffee. They taste wonderful at room temperature too. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can reheat them by steaming for 2-3 minutes or warming in the microwave for 30 seconds.
Similar Recipes
- Sweet Modak
- Coconut Kozhukattai
- Rava Laddu
- Milk Peda
- Kheer Karanji
Nutrient Benefits
Paneer provides excellent protein and calcium for strong bones and muscles. Khoya adds healthy fats that help with vitamin absorption. Jaggery is a better alternative to refined sugar as it contains iron and minerals. Cashews and pistachios offer heart-healthy fats and vitamin E. The coconut provides medium-chain fatty acids that boost energy. Rice flour is naturally gluten-free, making these dumplings suitable for those avoiding wheat.
Paneer Kozhukattai
Ingredients
- 1 cup Rice Flour
- 1 tsp Oil
- as per taste Salt
For Stuffing:
- 50 g Milk Khoya crumbled
- 1 cup Paneer grated
- 2 tsp Pista grated
- 2 tsp Cashews chopped
- 1 tsp Coconut grated
- 1/2 tsp Cardamom Powder
- 3 tsp Ghee
- 1 cup Jaggery crumbled
Instructions
- Heat a pan over medium lame.
- Add the crumbled jaggery and required water.
- Stir it continuously until the jaggery is dissolved.
- Filter the jaggery syrup to remove any dust.
- Heat another kadai under medium flame.
- Melt the ghee and roast the pista and cashews.
- Add the coconut, cardamom powder and the jaggery syrup.
- Heat them until the mixture turns thick.
- Add the khoya and paneer to the jaggery mixture and mix well.
- Now the poornam (stuffing) is ready.
- For the Kozhukattai, heat 1 cup of water in a kadai.
- Add a pinch of salt to it.
- When the water starts to boil, add the processed rice flour along the sides and keep stirring.
- Once the flour thickens, remove from flame and keep it aside.
- Mix the dough well with little oil and make balls from the mixture.
- Flatten the balls, and then press with your thumb gently to get a cup shape.
- Fill in 1 tblsp of prepared pooranam and close the balls.
- Heat a idly cooker with water for 10 minutes.
- Keep the dumplings in the cooker and steam cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove from the cooker.
- Paneer Kozhukattai is ready to serve.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use regular sugar instead of jaggery?
Yes, you can substitute jaggery with sugar, but use about 3/4 cup since sugar is sweeter. The flavor will be different though – jaggery gives a lovely caramel-like taste that makes these dumplings special. If using sugar, add a tablespoon of water and make a light syrup before adding to the mixture.
What if my rice flour dough becomes too sticky?
If the dough feels sticky, let it cool down completely first. Then dust your hands with dry rice flour while shaping. You can also add a tiny bit more rice flour to the dough, but do this gradually. The dough should be soft and pliable, not dry or crumbly.
How do I know when the dumplings are fully cooked?
The dumplings are done when the outer rice flour layer becomes translucent and feels firm but tender when gently pressed. This usually takes 10-15 minutes of steaming. If you’re unsure, steam for an extra 2-3 minutes – oversteaming won’t hurt them.
Can I make the filling ahead of time?
Without a doubt. The paneer filling can be made 1-2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. This actually makes assembly easier since the filling will be firmer when cold. Just bring it to room temperature before using, or it will be harder to work with.
