Steamed Sweet Rice Dumplings (kadabu/modak)

Ingredients:
For Shell:
2 cups of rice flour
2.5 cups of water
Pinch of salt

For Filling:
1 cup grated fresh coconut
1 cup of jaggery
1 teaspoon cardamom powder
1 tablespoon khuskhus

Oil for smearing steaming container and palms

Method:
In a thick bottomed vessel, fry coconut and jaggery on medium heat. Mix until the jaggery melts and blends with coconut. Add cardamom and khuskhus, mix well and turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool.

In another vessel, add salt to 2.5 cups of water and bring it to a boil. As the water starts boiling, add rice flour to the water and mix well. Ensure that no lumps are formed. It turns to a smooth paste and the rice dough starts to move as a unit. Now turn off heat.

The dumplings are made while the rice flour is hot, so make it while you feel that you can handle the rice flour mix on your palm. Smear oil onto palms to protect from the heat. Roll rice flour into a small ball and pat it flat to form a circle ( about 5 inch diameter).
Fill 1 teaspoon of the coconut/jaggery filling and seal the edges of the rice flour. (Tip: Use little water to seal the edges)

Smear oil to a steaming container. When all the dumplings are ready, place them in the steaming container. Steam for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for a while before serving. Makes about 10 Steamed Sweet Rice Dumplings.