Tasty pidi for this New Year

Pidiyum Kozhiyum is a traditional recipe among Christians in Kerala. This semi-liquid dish with some tasty balls of powdered rice is made for breakfast and dinner. Usually made during Christmas, pidi can also be tried for this New Year. This super soft dish will make you want this more. Pidi can be best served with chicken curry. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients
1 cup raw rice
1/2 cup grated coconut
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
5 shallots
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup +3/4 cup water
Salt to taste
1 tsp ghee
4 cups water
3/4 cup thick coconut milk
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp mustard
2 dry red chillies
Curry leaves

Preparation
Wash and soak rice in water for 6 hours.
Grind rice with grated coconut, cumin seeds, shallots, garlic and 1/2 cup water into a very fine paste.
Transfer it to a heavy bottomed pan. Add 3/4 cup water and salt. Stir continuously on low heat until thick. Keep aside to cool.
Add 1 tsp ghee and mix well till you get a soft dough. Roll out lemon sized balls from the dough.
In a large saucepan, boil 4 cups of water. Drop the rice balls (dumplings) one by one into the boiling water carefully.
Cook till it becomes a thick gravy and dumplings well cooked .When the desired consistency reach, add thick coconut milk and allow it to a boil. Switch off heat.
Tempering the pidi with coconut oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves, and chopped pearl onion.
Serve with chicken curry.