They say:”The key to everything is patience”. That defines my recipe today. I prepared it last weekend. Sweet Rice Dumplings are a typical Mangalorean sweet dish. Sweet Rice Dumplings with turmeric leaves have another name. They are commonly known as Haldikolyache Patholi in Konkani language (mother-tongue in South-West coast of India). Its made with rice filled with Jaggery-coconut mixture, wrapped in turmeric leaves which makes it a special dish.
Patholi, as we call it, was traditionally made at home. It was especially common when turmeric leaves were in abundance in my grandmother’s backyard during the monsoon season. While in Singapore, I discovered turmeric leaves at the supermarket and felt a strong craving for them. These leaves are used because of their unique flavor and delightful aroma. So, if you happen to have turmeric leaves in the local supermarket, I can assure you. This recipe won’t disappoint you.
Let me tell you a little about this popular “superfood sweetener” commonly used in India. Our elders always prepared sweet dishes with a sweetener called ‘Jaggery‘, Gur in hindi, Bella in Kannada. Jaggery varies in colors. It ranges from golden brown to brown and dark brown. Jaggery is known to have the ability to cleanse your body. Jaggery and sugar both are obtained from the same source of sugarcane juice. However, jaggery is unrefined sugar. The sugarcane juice undergoes a boiling process. The syrup is boiled continuously until it forms a thick paste. This paste is then poured into molds to form solid blocks.
Why is jaggery a “healthy” replacement for sugar? Unlike sugar, which is absorbed by the body quickly with a sudden burst of energy, jaggery is absorbed slowly. It releases energy over an extended period of time. Now, this is just one form of jaggery. The others are jaggery from palm sugar and so on..which I haven’t used in my recipes yet.
Soaking time: 2.5 hrs
Preparation time: 30- 45 minutes
Cooking time: 12 minutes
Ingredients
Raw rice / Boiled Rice / Surai or Ponni rice – 3/4 cup or 180 g (preferably boiled rice ) (*EDIT)
White small grain / Idli rice – 3/4 cup or 180 g (‘mutambo’ rice in Konkani)
Salt
Medium size turmeric leaves / Haldi leaves – 15 to 17, stemmed, rinsed and wiped dry (*see notes)
For the filling:
Pounded jaggery – 150 g or 3/4 cup (as per sweetness)
Grated fresh coconut – 120 g (*see notes)
Cardamom – 4 pods, seeds powdered
Directions
To save time, prepare the first two steps of the rice dumplings batter a day in advance.
1. First step soaking the rice : Mix and wash the boiled/ponni rice with water in a bowl. Do the same with the white small grain rice. Wash each type of rice once.
2. Next is making a smooth batter: Using a blender, add the rice and 1/2 tsp of salt. With very less amount of water as possible make a thick smooth paste. I divided the rice into 2 batches. This made it easier to grind. It resulted in a nice smooth paste and less grainy texture for the rice dumplings.
3. Preparing the filling: In a small bowl add powdered jaggery, coconut and cardamom powder. Stir thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps.
4. Prepare the turmeric leaves (*see notes). Place a tablespoon of batter or just scoop it with your fingers. Spread the batter evenly over the shiny part of the turmeric leaf. Make sure it is not too thick or too thin. Leave a 1-inch gap along the edges.
5. Using a teaspoon, add the jaggery-coconut mixture along the center-line of the leaf.
Fold the leaf in half starting from one end, gently pressing the edges along its length. Repeat the process of step 4 with the remaining leaves and place them on a plate.
6. Using a steamer or a wok. Pour 1 1/2 cup of water. Place a small plate over the steamer plate with holes. Make sure it is at least an inch or two above the water level. Bring the water to a boil.
Arrange the leaves on the steamer plate at different angles, layering them as needed. Cover with the lid and cook on high (induction 8) for 12 minutes.
7. The rice dumplings are ready when a toothpick inserted into it comes clean. Remove the leaves from the steamer using tongs and place it on a plate.
Peel the leaves from one end and discard. It tastes best when its piping hot. Hope you like it. Happy cooking.
Note:
*If your using fresh coconut that has been in the freezer. Place it out on the kitchen counter an hour in advance to thaw and soften.
*If the turmeric leaves are too long you can cut them into half first and then place the batter.
* Since I made this recipe for 2 servings, I used just half the batter and made 8 leaves one day and the rest I used it another day. The coconut-jaggery filling can be stored in the fridge for a day or two to reuse later. Do not keep the filling stored too long as it will go bad.
EDITs:
In case you’re wondering how to pound jaggery, put the jaggery cubes in a ziplock bag. Use any object to pound them. Do the same with cardamom if you do not use a mortar and pestle.
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