Goan Dodol

Of the many reasons for which we ought to be proud of our Goan heritage, there is one we must begin to give a greater applause to - the numerous creations from a few standard ingredients! The recipe below is for the traditional 'Dodol' and it consists of 3 ingredients - Coconut milk, rice flour and palm jaggery. From the same ingredients (only in different states of matter) we can have the Pinagr, Holle, Soji and Atol.

Doing a little Wikipedia research, I have found out that Dodol is more commonly considered an Indonesian sweet which is 'also' found in the southern parts of India. I can't recollect any stories of my parents telling me of the origins of this black beauty of a sweet dish but I can surely remember the huge cooking pot on a lit fire in our backyard and spending hours together preparing large quantities for ourselves and, of course, for the purpose of distribution among loved ones and neighbours. During Christmas, if you're looking to go traditional, give this recipe a try. 

Some Notes:

• This quantity takes roughly about an hour on the stove and can last for a week at room temperature. It is super soft and jiggly, 'rosroxit' in appearance, dark in colour and doesn't stick to the fingers. I'm extremely grateful to my sister, Netty, for having shared her awesome recipe with me!
• It took me an hour to cook this quantity to perfection. Keep Stirring all the way!
• I used a 6”x6” mould, another 4”x4” mould and  a regular soup bowl for this quantity.
• Once upon the stove, keep stirring the mixture, scrapping the bottom; using a long-handle paddle spoon/spatula proves helpful.
• The test to know if the dodol is ready to be poured into a mould is to spoon a little onto a plate, let it stand for 15-20 seconds; it must hold its shape and mustn't stick to the fingers when touched.
• Why sugar when it already contains jaggery? Sugar provides a reflective glaze which adds to the appearance of the final product.
• Spices (cardamom powder) is optional, I haven't used any.

Ingredients:

• 5 cups grated coconut (400 gms)
• 2 and 1/2 cups jaggery (500 gms)
• 1 cup rice flour (110 gms)
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt
• 10-12 Chopped cashews (some even use peanuts)
• Halved cashews for garnish

Method:

1. Prepare the thick coconut extract by grinding the coconut in the blender with 2 cups of water; squeeze through a sieve and keep it aside. For the thinner extract, grind the pulp using 5 cups of water and extract the thin milk.

2. Add the jaggery to the thin milk and stir it till it dissolves completely.

3. Grease the moulds you’ll be using, to set the dodol, with a little oil. You won't have time to do it later when the dodol is about ready!

4. In a vessel, take the rice flour and strain the coconut milk-jaggery solution and mix together; pour a little at the start (2-3 ladles) making a smooth, runny paste and then pour in all the solution to avoid lumps.

5. Add the sugar. Continue stirring upon the stove.

6. Heat it on a medium to high flame stirring constantly till it comes to a boil. Add the salt and pour in the thick coconut milk. Remember to keep stirring, scrapping the bottom as you do so. Regulate the heat between medium and high.

7. As it starts to get closer to getting ready (at about 45 minutes into the cooking time), the dodol changes colour turning darker. Add the chopped Cashews. To check if done, spoon a little onto a plate; after a few seconds, the spooned portion must be able to hold its shape and not stick to the finger when touched.

8. Pour it into the greased moulds and tap it to minimize air entrapments. Garnish the top with nuts, if you choose. Let it rest for about 30 minutes or till it completely cools before unmolding.

Cut into pieces and serve!

Here is the video!

Dev Borem Korum | Thanks and God Bless