Kalthappam / Kalathappam ( Sweetened )

Ingredients:

1 cup kaima rice/ jeerakasala rice

200-300 gms / 3 blocks of light brown jaggery

1/4 cup cooked rice

3 cardamom

1/4 tsp cumin seeds

salt to taste

a pinch of baking soda

2 tbsp coconut slices/ thenga kothu

1 tbsp shallots, sliced

2-3 tbsp oil

Preparation:

1. Soak the rice in water for 2 hours.
2. In a pan, melt the jaggery on low flame adding 1 cup of water, strain it and keep it aside.
3. Grind the drained rice with melted jaggery, cooked rice, cardamom, cumin seeds and salt to a smooth batter.
4. Transfer to a bowl and add a pinch of baking soda and mix well.
5. Heat a pressure cooker and add oil and saute the coconut slices till it become light brown. Then add the sliced shallots and saute till golden brown.
6. Then pour the prepared rice-jaggery batter to the cooker and close the cooker tightly without placing the weight/ whistle and cook for 1 1/2-2 minutes on high flame.
7. Now reduce the flame and cook for 15 minutes on low flame.
8. After 15 minutes, check if its cooked by inserting a toothpick. If it comes out clean, its done..Else cook for 5 more minutes and then remove from flame and let cool.
9. When cool, gently remove the kalathappam from the cooker and cut into pieces and serve..