Kalu Dodol is a sweet dish very popular in Sri Lanka made using Kithul Jaggery, rice flour, and coconut milk. It is very time consuming process where we need to keep stirring continuously till it reaches the correct state.
History and Origin
Kalu dodol is believed to have been introduced to Sri Lanka by Malay migrants, perhaps from Indonesia. It has also been attributed to the Portuguese, who occupied parts of the country during the 16th and 17th centuries. The Hambanthota area in southern Sri Lanka is famous for dodol. (Source:Wiki)
What Is Kithul Jaggery?
Kithul Jaggery is made from the sap collected from the flower of the jaggery palm (Caryota urens). It’s a solid sweet block that is normally filled into scraped coconut shells. It’s a food sweetener, Ayurvedic medicine, and a dessert by itself. Kithul jaggery has low glycemic index and lot of medicinal benefits.
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Ingredients
- Rice Flour - Slightly roast the rice flour and use them
- Jaggery - Kithul jaggery is ideally used but can be substituted by palm sugar.
- Coconut - Extract coconut milk from coconut
- Cashews - Can be replaced with peanuts or almonds as well.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Take chopped or grated coconut in a mixer.
Add water and grind the coconut to smooth paste
Filter to extract coconut milk and keep it ready.
Dry roast the rice flour till aromatic in a Kadai. Add grated jaggery to it.
Then add the extracted coconut milk to it.
Mix in low flame till everything is combined and jaggery is melted.
After 15-20 minutes, the mixture will start to get thick.
Keep stirring continuously at regular intervals.
It will become glossy and start to come together. Oil will start to ooze out and that is the right consistency.
Add chopped cashews to it and mix.
Transfer the mixture to the tray coated with oil/Ghee.
Allow it to cool down a little and cut the pieces.
Kalu Dodol
Ingredients
- 100 grams Rice flour
- 4 cups Coconut 2 whole coconut
- 1/2 kg Jaggery
- 1/3 cup Cashews chopped
Instructions
- Take chopped or grated coconut in a mixer.
- Add water and grind the coconut to smooth paste
- Filter to extract coconut milk and keep it ready.
- Dry roast the rice flour till aromatic in a Kadai.
- Add grated jaggery to it.
- Then add the extracted coconut milk to it.
- Mix in low flame till everything is combined and jaggery is melted.
- After 15-20 minutes, the mixture will start to get thick.
- Keep stirring continuously at regular intervals.
- It will become glossy and start to come together.
- Oil will start to ooze out and that is the right consistency.
- Add chopped cashews to it and mix.
- Transfer the mixture to the tray coated with oil/Ghee.
- Allow it to cool down a little and cut the pieces.
- Delicious Kalu dodol is ready.
Notes
Substitutions
- Kithul Jaggery - You can substitute it with palm jaggery but taste will differ.
- Coconut - Fresh coconut is always preferred but you can use canned coconut milk if you are not able to source them.
- Nuts - You can add any nuts of your choice. Usually cashews or peanuts are added.
Variations
- Sweetener- I have used only jaggery. You can use combination of sugar and jaggery as well.
- Flavoring- Cardamom powder can be used for flavoring.
Storage
Since we are using coconut milk, it stays good in room temperature only for 3-4 days.
Refrigerate the dodol if you want more shelf life.
Top tip
Kithul jaggary gives the authentic taste of kalu dodol. You can use palm jaggery as a substitute but taste will differ.
Shhh Cooking Secretly Challenge
I suggested the challenge for this month as Srilankan Cuisine. I am excited to be paired with Poonam. You can find some amazing dishes like chappan bhog in her blog.
I gave her cardamon and coconut milk and she made the delicious Srilankan coconut pancakes. She gave me jaggery and coconut and I made this delicious dodol.
If you have tried this recipe and liked it, please do leave your valuable comment and share picture of recipe with hashtag #namscorner in Instagram or mail me @namscorner18@gmail.com. You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or subscribe to get regular updates on your mail box.
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