Pol Kottan, a traditional sweet from the past
Pol Kottan, also called Pol Kotta, is a sweet steamed rice cake topped with a syrup and is made from Rice Flour. Our great grandparents would eat Pol Kottan, while it was still piping hot, for breakfast and afternoon teatime. Pol Kottan is very simple to make in 20 minutes and only requires a few basic ingredients.
Pol Kottan is soft, moist, and has 3 deep impressions which helps to contain the syrup topping. These impressions look similar to a Coconut Shell which usually has 3 holes. While we used Sugar syrup for the topping, traditionally they would use Kithul or Coconut Treacle.
Our ancestors would have a unique way of steaming Pol Kottan and any rasa kavili in general. They would tie a piece of cotton cloth as a lid on top of a clay pot. Then they would add hot water through the cloth into the clay pot. After placing the Pol Kottan on a banana leaf, they would place it on top of the cloth and then cover the top of the clay pot with another pot.
If you like more unique traditional sweets like this from Sri Lankan history, try my Yakpiti from upcountry region, Laalu made from Sago, and Pol Pani Carrots from Nuwara Eliya recipes.
Ingredients
- 250g of Rice Flour
- 50g of grated Coconut
- 100g of Kithul Jaggery
- Salt
- Cumin Powder
- Cardamom
- Cloves
- Cinnamon
Instructions
- Toast 250g of Rice Flour in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the toasted Rice Flour into a bowl.
- Add 50g of grated Coconut.
- Mix everything together thoroughly using a spoon.
- Thinly slice 100g of Kithul Jaggery.
- Add the sliced Jaggery into the bowl.
- Add Salt to taste.
- Add some Cumin Powder.
- Add some crushed Cardamom.
- Add some crushed Cloves.
- Add some crushed Cinnamon.
- Mix everything together thoroughly using a spoon.
- After mixing with a spoon, start mixing using your hands.
- Add Hot Water, a little at a time, while mixing thoroughly and forming a dough that sticks together.
- Now break the dough into smaller pieces.
- Take each piece and roll it into a ball, about the size of a lime, using the palm of your hands.
- Then very slightly shape it into a roll in your palms.
- While the dough is in your palms, take the index, middle, and ring fingers and press down on the dough to leave a deep impression.
- Steam the Pol Kottan for 5 minutes.
- Heat 1 tbsp of the 50g of Sugar in a saucepan over medium heat.
- When the Sugar starts turning dark brown, add half a cup of Water.
- Now add the remaining Sugar.
- Cook until this syrup is bubbling.
- Pour this syrup, while it is still hot, into the impressions of the Pol Kottan.
Photos
