Pidiyum kozhiyum is a festive dish in the christian tradition of ancient Kerala. Its origin may be tracked back to the times of the settlers from Israel or the Middle East. when we say pidiyum kozhiyum it is considered as one recipe, but it is the combination of two dishes. One a fine porridge like preparation using rice flour, coconut flesh and many a spices. The second one is the side dish prepared with chicken and spices.

Pidiyum kozhiyum as I said earlier, traditional to the christian feasts and was inevitable for occasions like marriage feasts, Easter, Christmas, Baptism feast, or remembrance day of the forefathers. You can say it is tasty and easy to prepare.

Ingredients for the Rice dumpling

Rice flour 500 gram

Coconut grated 1/2 cup

Coconut milk 1 cup

Pearl onions chopped 2 tablespoons

Cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon

Curry leaves 1 sprig

Salt to taste

Preparation of Rice Dumpling

Grind the pearl onions and cumin seeds and keep aside.

Boil 3 litres of water in a large and deep pan, add the ground cumin seed onion mix and join it together.

Add the rice flour, curry leaves and grated coconut to a pan and dry fry them for a few minutes and remove from heat.

Add some of the boiled onion cumin seed water to the fried rice flour coconut mix and mix it into a fine dough.

Now bring the rest of the cumin seed onion water to a boil, add the salt and keep simmering.

Prepare small balls from the rice dough and slide them one after another into the boiling water.

Now add two tablespoons of the rice flour to the 1/4 cup of coconut milk and mix them together without any lump. Add some more water if needed.

Add the coconut milk- rice flour mix gradually to the boiling dumplings and mix well together and cook well.

Now add the rest of the coconut milk, bring it to a boil and remove from heat.

Serve along with the chicken curry.

Ingredients for Chicken Curry.

Chicken 1 kg

Onions 2-3 nos

Tomatoes 2-3 nos

green chillies 4 nos

Ginger chopped 1 tablespoon

Garlic 10 cloves

Curry leaves 2 sprigs

Turmeric powder 1/2 Teaspoon

Coriander powder 2 teaspoon

Chilli powder 1 teaspoon

Sweet chilli powder 2 teaspoon

Chicken masala 1 teaspoon (Garam masala 1/2 teaspoon)

Grated coconut 1/2 cup

Coconut milk 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Oil 2 tablespoons

Preparation of chicken curry

Firstly clean, wash, drain and cut the chicken into medium sized pieces and keep aside.

In a pan dry roast the grated coconut along with the curry leaves and allow to cool.

When cooled grind it into a fine paste and keep aside.

Chop the ginger, garlic and green chillies and keep aside.

Chop the onions and tomatoes and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and allow them to crackle.

add chopped onion, green chillies, ginger and garlic and saute until it turns golden brown.

Add the turmeric powder, coriander powder and chilli powder and saute for 1-2 minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes and saute till they become a paste.

Add the chicken pieces mix well and cook till the chicken pieces become cooked and tender.

Add the ground coconut paste and the coconut milk, brig to a boil and remove from heat.

Serve along with Pidi (the rice dumplings).