Learn how to make koozh vadam/ koozh vathal at home. A step by step pictorial post, with tips and tricks to prepare perfect koozh vadam.
Yes, I did it! In Singapore💃! I was planning to do a post on how to make koozh vadam/ vathal, javarisi vadam and vengaya vadam last year itself when I visit Chennai. My MIL does every year and passes to me. So I requested my MIL to wait until I visit Chennai so that I can learn from her, help her in making and also make a post. But she said she will finish making by the end of April itself and she did all by herself and passed it to me. Even my mom made vathals and gave it to me, so I had no chance to learn and make a post last year😐.
I know this year also everything gonna be the same. So I desperately wanted to learn and make vathals. So I asked my MIL how to do first koozh vadam. She told the recipe and method and as a bonus told another easy vadam also (which I will share next week, coz, its still kaanjufying😛). You all have no idea how happy and content after I finished making these vadams🙂. Just like how I finished baking for the first time and the cake came out fully done. Same feeling, or may be even more happier than that, because I have never thought I can do this in my life as I thought it is very complicated. But then I realized its not like that, it just needs time and some physical work.
I agree if made in bulk like our moms and MILs, then its sure a project. But Since I made in small quantity, it was very easy. When it comes to making vadams I have lots of beautiful childhood memories related, yeah, as usual🙋. Every year mom makes koozh vadam (mom makes only koozh vadam and killu vadam/vengaya vadam mostly). Early morning before the sun rises, she will be ready with the koozh. We go to the mottai maadi and mom starts making and I used to help her by filling the press every time she finishes squeezing. My Bro ( +Sendhil ) also comes for helping. We will be thrilled to see the making, for no reasons. And while squeezing, we have laughed like anything non stop😁. Wondering why? When we squeeze the vadam through the press, it makes very funny sounds and me and my bro used to laugh for that😊.
Also we like to eat that koozh, though my mom warns us, it will not be good to our tummy. Also the burt bottom, if any, will be really tasty. We will be assigned job to save the vadams from crows. We keep all possible things to keep the crows away, like umbrella sorts of things. But still the crows will be clever enough to sneak and steal the hard work. So we will be shooing away those. Also not to forget to eat the half dried vadams, yumm😋. As kids, we also love to peel/ take out the vadams after its gets dried for a day. We never know how difficult and tiring it is for mom with all those daily house chores and still with all interest and doing these things. Amazing right? I always wonder how they have this spirit everyday.
After I saw a dry sunny weather, I decided to make vadams in a small portion and give it a try. I had good sun shining in my balcony in afternoons, so I made use of that and half I relied in fan. I also make use of the hot refrigerator top too. Yeah, weird, but it worked like a charm. I don’t know how many will be able to find time, space and sun to try making vadams to make use of this post, but sure it will help me in my future to refer.
Koozh Vadam/ Vathal Recipe
Recipe Cuisine: Indian | Recipe Category: Snacks/ Sides
Prep Time: 12 hrs | Cook time: 15 mins | Makes: 3 cups
Prep Time: 12 hrs | Cook time: 15 mins | Makes: 3 cups
Ingredients
Raw rice – 1 cup
Sago/ Javvarisi – 1 tblsp
Green chilli – 3
Jeera – 1 & 1/2 tsp
Salt – as needed
Sago/ Javvarisi – 1 tblsp
Green chilli – 3
Jeera – 1 & 1/2 tsp
Salt – as needed
Method
- Soak rice and sago together overnight, grind into very smooth paste with little water, chilli and salt. I ground in mixie itself. If you make in bulk, grind using wet grinder.
- Boil 3 cups of water in a heavy bottomed vessel. I used my pot shaped cooker. Add jeera to it.Add the ground rice to it with constant stirring. Cook in medium flame constantly stirring with a spatula until it gets cooked, thick and colour is changed as shown in the picture.
- Wet your hands and if you take some dough, it will be shiny and not so sticky. Choose a plate with your choice of shape. I choose a flat one, so that it will be easy to dry. You can use the ribbon pakoda plate or star shape or clove shaped hole plate.Spread a clean white cloth and sprinkle some water. Fill the press with the prepared koozh. Squeeze into straight lines (more or less) and repeat the process to finish the koozh.
- Squeeze into straight lines close to each other as shown in the picture. Dry in sun.In the night put under fan wind to dry. You will be able to peel the next day morning. Peel and dry it in sun.
- After you peel keep the semi dried part facing up. Sun dry for 5 days or until crisp dry. Fry and test in oil one or two. If its full crisp then its done, if its chewy in the mid and sticks to your teeth, then its not dried. Dry for few more days in hot sun.Once dried, transfer to the container to store and fry when needed in oil. Oil should be enough deep fry and hot enough.Drain in paper towel and serve with your favorite variety rice.
Notes
- I realized I made bit broader with the chosen plate, a ribbon pakoda press will be perfect I think.
- Some make with a ratio of raw rice and par boiled rice too. But gives a bit red colour when fried. But its tastier than raw rice vathals.
- Adding small amount of sago gives nice texture and makes light when fried.
- If you grind coarsely instead of smooth, vathal when fried will be crunchy instead of crispy.
- Sun should be really hot atleast the day you are making. After that whole day of drying you can manage it to dry in fan.
- Keep a bowl full of water while squeezing to ease the sticky feel you get through in your hands during the process.
- It takes only 2 days, to dry completely, provided perfect full day hot sun, if you make it using the flat hole press.
- The koozh should be loose enough to press through easily. So not make the koozh to get cooked for long time and make it thick. Switch off the flame as soon as the colour changes and becomes thick enough to press through.
- If its watery, then the dried vadam will be split into tiny pieces and wont come out long.
- If not dried properly, fungus may develop, so make sure you have enough sun.
- If after you dry 3/4th but only a bit chewy in the middle when fried, unfortunately no sun also, then you can preheat oven for 190 deg C and spread the vadams. Let it be inside the hot oven for 15 minutes and cool down before storing. (Do not bake it, just spread in hot oven).
- You have to store after you dry the vadams in hot sun, not after being out overnight.
I had with coriander rice, but goes well with and is handy when you make variety rice like tomato rice, lemon rice, tamarind rice…
Wow, this is awesome! Goodddd work. I can imagine how fulfilled you would have felt 🙂
Super tempting vadams. I am sure how contented we feel when we make vadams, though it is a tiring process.
Thankyou for taking the time and effort to.update this!! Lovely!
My mom makes this often Raks… I too love the taste of this. loved reading your post dear…
This is a worth project for a whole year, And i love to taste the vadam maavu with coconut oil, Me and my amma is making this year together 😀 As usual i loved the write up and so as pictures.
perfectly done.. I can understanding ur feeling of accomplishment.. I can eat the dough as it is 🙂
Thats great .it will surely help many people. pl post other vadams and vadagam. Thank you.
starting this process is sure to make the rain clouds come calling….. :-))))
Vadam making is easy and the recipe too, but the steps involved makes one to keep away and prefer to buy than make, but hats off to your dedication the awesome steps , even the most laziest person will get up and say , I am going to do it too!! such is the inspiration in your post. hats off!! kudos !!
Just finished making mor milagai. Have to try vadam next 😉 super post.very helpful 🙂
waah…thanks 4r sharing..for colour full variety of this chips we can add carrot,red beet,palak juice..specially for kids who love chip..
Thank you so much Radha. 🙂
You bet 😀
Thank you so much all 🙂
HI Rak's thanks for this post and i request you to post
javarisi vathal recipe…
It's surprise that you did in Singapore. Nice vadams.
Nice post and I appreciate you for making use of the sunny days Raji. Bravo!
I'll be making mine this summer, they looks fabulous..
great work.. it is really hard to find the sun here in US. saving this recipe for trying out when i come to India… really ur description made me nostalgic…
Hi Raks 🙂 wonderful post 🙂 I found from a friend that she baked the vadams instead of sun drying it..I mean baking the koozh instead of sun drying (not the frying part)..lemme know if that would be possible and if so , awaiting for ur next post 😀
Hi encouraging that you made this in Singapore.Surely i will try and share with you another kind of vadaam.
Your childhood description made me nostalgic too, cos I share the very same memories with my brother, including the noise it makes, keeping the crows away, and eating it whenever no one's watching.. Once we friends out of curiosity, took out our toy utensil, brought oil from frnd's house, then put 3 small stones and lit fire with small twigs.. then we dint know what to do.. I ran to the terrace, picked up (stole) the vadams that I was supposed to safeguard, and fried them.. we all had such a gala time.. happy childhood days.. thanks for making me re-live those moments… I will surely try making them this summer.
very nice Raks.. but how to try this in singapore? iam in an HDB no space to dry.. how did u do tat ? whr did u put for drying it up?
I dried in my balcony where I get whole afternoon sun
Yes sure, my MIL always does that every year, I made this way coz, I made only very less.
balcony.. its a common one rite? so u mean u r in a condo?
Corridor is only common, I live in an executive HDB, so have a balcony.
Hi Raks, i am an ardent fan of your recipes. I am trying to make this koozh vathal.
Is it ok to use par boiled rice instead of raw rice?
(or) can I use rice flour and skip the first step? If using rice flour should i let it ferment?
You can use par boiled rice, it comes out really tasty, only colour will be bit dull and will be with smooth bubbles after frying. Have no idea about rice flour.
Hi can we dry in the oven itself. During winter there is no sun in US and want to make and eat vadams this time. Is it possible to try with the lowest heat setting in the oven?
I am afraid it is not possible. At least 2 days of good hot sun dry is needed.