Pidi / Rice balls in coconut milk

Pidi is a dish made with rice flour and coconut milk and usually served with chicken or meat curry. I think it is a traditional dish of Jacobites in Kerala.  I heard about Pidi for the first time from my friend Susan. Susan is one of my best friend. We studied together in 11th and 12th std and then for Engineering at Kothamangalam. Her house was close to Kothamangalam college.  During all my study leaves, which is usually 1 month, I go home, Calicut, for the first few weeks, after that I used to stay at Susan's house for atleast 1-2 weeks. :) Those were some memorable days in my life which I always cherish, company of one of my best friend and her wonderful parents + delicious food cooked by her Mom...Good old days..
So coming back to Pidi recipe, here it goes.

Ingredients:

1. Rice flour (fine)- 1.5 cups
2. Coconut, shredded - 1/2 cup
3. Coconut milk - if using thick paste - 4tbs or if using coconut milk as such - 2.5-3 cups
4. Salt to taste
5. Shallots, sliced - 1/4 cup
6. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Boil 1.5 cups of water. ( use same amount as rice flour)
2. Add shallot , cumin seeds, coconut and salt to it.
3. After a minute, add rice flour mix it well with water using wooden spatula or stiff laddle
4. Switch off the flame
5. Once the flour is almost mixed with water keep it closed till the dough is cooled enough to be touched with hand (it should still be warm)
6. Knead the dough with hand well and make small balls out of it.
7. Heat 2.5 -3 cups of coconut milk in a sauce pan. (if using coconut paste, make thin coconut milk using 3 tbs of coconut milk paste = 2-3 cups of thin coconut milk)
8. Once the coconut milk is about to boil, add pidis/ rice balls in to it. (don't stir). All balls must be fully dipped in coconut milk. If needed, add more coconut milk
9. Cook pidis in low flame for 5 minutes.
10. Give careful stir in between so that pidis don't stick to the bottom and also the stir should not break the pidis
11. Once the coconut milk consistency is thick enough for your liking (some like it thick like me or you can leave it thin too )and pidis are fully cooked through ( took around 15-20 minutes for me), switch off the flame.

Note:

• Pidis can be served with chicken curry
• You may add 1-2 tsp of sugar to the coconut milk to add slight sweetness to the pidis,  this is optional
• I have used Nirapara pathiri podi for making pidi