Steamed Rice Dumplings with Sesame and Jaggery

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A beloved South Indian festive dumpling shaped into small cones and steamed until tender, with a fragrant filling of toasted black sesame seeds, fresh coconut, and jaggery. The rice flour shell is soft and slightly chewy, while the center melts into a nutty, caramel-like sweetness. Traditionally prepared during Ganesh Chaturthi, these bite-sized dumplings are simple to make and naturally vegan.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 385 kcalCalories
• 14 gFat
• 4 gSaturated Fat
• 58 gCarbs
• 4 gFiber
• 21 gSugar
• 6 gProtein
• 95 mgSodium
• 235 mgPotassium
• 180 mgCalcium
• 4 mgIron
• 1 mgVitamin C
• 8 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the rice flour dough

• 1 cup fine rice flour
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ghee or coconut oil

For the sesame-jaggery filling

• 3/4 cup black sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup grated jaggery, crumbled
• 1/3 cup freshly grated coconut
• 3 green cardamom pods, seeds crushed
• 1 tablespoon ghee
• 1 pinch dried ginger powder

Directions

1. Lightly toast the black sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and just beginning to pop, then transfer to a plate to cool.
2. Grind the cooled sesame seeds with the grated jaggery, grated coconut, crushed cardamom, and dried ginger in a spice grinder to a coarse, slightly crumbly paste; stir in the ghee and set aside.
3. Bring the water to a rolling boil with the salt and sesame oil in a saucepan, then reduce heat to low and add all the rice flour at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms.
4. Cover the pan, remove from heat, and let the dough rest for 5 minutes, then transfer to a plate and knead for 2 to 3 minutes while still warm until smooth and pliable; cover with a damp cloth.
5. Divide the dough into 12 equal balls; flatten each ball into a 3-inch disc with greased fingers, keeping the edges thinner than the center.
6. Place about 1 tablespoon of the sesame filling in the middle of each disc, gather the edges upward, pinch to seal, and shape into a smooth cone or round ball.
7. Arrange the shaped dumplings on a greased steamer plate, leaving 1 inch between each, and steam over briskly boiling water for 12 to 15 minutes until the shells look glossy and set.
8. Let the dumplings rest in the steamer for 3 minutes after opening the lid, then serve warm, drizzled with a little extra ghee if desired.

Cook’s Notes

• Knead the rice dough while it is still warm; rice flour dough becomes stiff and crumbly once fully cooled, so keep it covered with a damp cloth between shaping.
• Do not over-grind the sesame filling; it should retain some texture for the best nutty bite rather than turning into a paste.
• Always steam over vigorously boiling water so the dumplings cook through and develop their characteristic glossy surface.
• Brushing the steamer plate with ghee prevents the dumplings from sticking and gives the bottoms a light golden tint.
• Use freshly grated coconut and soft, dark jaggery for the deepest flavor; hard or pale jaggery will yield a less fragrant filling.

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