Oreo Vishu Katta Recipe: A Modern Take On A Classic Kerala Katta

The recipe for a classic Katta is significant during Vishu as it’s a tasty dish to eat during the festival season in Kerala. Made simply from rice, coconut milk, and cumin, it’s usually eaten as a breakfast with jaggery syrup. It is nice, soft, and has a mild, comforting taste.

The twist on the original version of Vishu katta is that instead of using rice, it also includes some crushed Oreo cookies. This combination allows you to get both a soft body (from the classic katta) and a slight crunch (as you bite through the Oreo), either inside or on top of the katta itself. Therefore, this new version retains the base structure of traditional Kerala katta, but it has been slightly altered to suit modern desserts.

What is Vishu Katta?

Traditional Vishu katta comes from the state of Kerala, India. The recipe uses ground rice that's simmered in coconut milk. The rice will set up into a firm but soft cake-like texture that can be sliced to serve. The flavor is very mild in savoriness, is often heightened with cumin seeds, and is generally served with a sweetener, prominently jaggery syrup.

Vishu katta is an essential part of the traditional breakfast served during the Vishu festival, which celebrates the harvest in Kerala. The simplicity of the ingredient list and method used to prepare Vishu katta speaks to the regional ways of cooking, primarily consisting of rice and coconut.

Classic Katta With a Twist: Ingredients for Oreo Vishu Katta

The list of ingredients used in this adapted version of katta will adhere to the traditional recipe, with the exception of adding crushed Oreos.

Ingredients:

• 200 g raw rice (unakkalari)
• 400 ml thick coconut milk
• 500 ml water
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp ghee or coconut oil
• 8-10 pieces Oreo biscuits (coarsely crushed)

Choosing the Right Rice

The traditional ingredient used in most versions of Kerala katta is Unakkalari, or raw rice. Because of Unakkalari, the dish gets its dense and smooth texture when ground into flour and then used to prepare the batter for Vishu katta. Regular rice will work as a substitute, but it will produce a different texture because of the difference in the grain of rice. Soaking the rice overnight will improve the ability of the rice to be ground and produce a more even product.

Fresh vs. Canned Coconut Milk

Using fresh coconut milk to make Vishu katta will give the dish a richer and thicker texture. Also, coconut milk will mix into the rice mixture during cooking better when it's fresh than when it comes from a can. Although either option is fine for preparing Vishu katta.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Katta Recipe

Preparing the Rice and Coconut Milk

Clean and soak rice for approximately 3–4 hours. Pass the soaked rice through a fine sieve and grind it with water until there is no grainy feel to it and has the approximate consistency of a thick pouring batter.

In a heavy-based vessel, combine your rice batter, coconut milk, and water. Stir together thoroughly so that there are no lumps before putting it on the stove.

Cooking to the Perfect Consistency

Put the mixture on medium heat and continually stir the mixture, adding cumin seeds and salt at this point. The mixture will begin thickening as it cooks.

Continue to stir to prevent sticking at the bottom of the vessel. When the mixture becomes shiny and pulls from the sides of the vessel, this indicates that the rice has cooked through and that the mixture is at the right consistency. Add ghee or coconut oil and mix well for extra added flavor and texture.

Setting and Garnishing with Oreos

Once you have made the thick mixture, pour it into a greased tray or mold and spread it evenly while still warm. Coarsely crush some Oreo biscuits and evenly sprinkle them over the top of the mixture, then lightly press down on them to embed them into the mixture.

Once the mixture has cooled and set at room temperature, use a serrated knife to cut it into square or rectangular pieces. The combination of the soft base with the crunch from the Oreo biscuit creates a beautiful contrast and is what defines this modern katta.

How to Make Jaggery Syrup

Jaggery syrup is a traditional accompaniment for Vishu katta. Here’s how you can make it at home:

Ingredients:

• 150 g jaggery
• 150 ml water

In a saucepan, combine the jaggery and water. Heat till the jaggery has melted. Stir your mixture occasionally to ensure the jaggery melts completely.

Once melted, strain the jaggery mixture through a fine mesh strainer into another pan to remove any lumps. Pour your strained mixture back into the pan and boil till you achieve your desired consistency.

Serve the jaggery syrup warm with the square or rectangular pieces of katta. The jaggery syrup has a nutritional pairing to the subtlety of the salty, savory components of the katta dish.

Pro Tips for Soft & Perfect Kerala Katta

When making katta, stir the milk continuously while cooking to create the desired consistency. This helps to create an even cooking process and avoid lumps, as well as to help thicken the katta evenly. To smooth the mixture out before it sets, you can stir it vigorously if you end up with lumps in your katta due to continuous stirring.

If the katta is too watery, continue cooking on low heat until it has thickened properly. If it has thickened too much, you can add a little warm water or coconut milk to the katta and mix it in.

In this version of katta, it is important to balance the flavors. The taste of cumin should be subtle so that the addition of Oreos can shine through without overwhelming the base. By crushing the Oreos coarsely rather than finely, it will help maintain the texture.

Storage & Serving Suggestions

Katta can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two days. Be sure to store it in an airtight container so that it doesn't dry out. It can be warmed up just before serving, or served at room temperature.

The Oreo topping will hold its crunch best when freshly added, but if you plan on serving the katta later, adding a fresh topping of crushed Oreo just before plating will help maintain the textural contrast between the two layers.

Katta is traditionally served with jaggery syrup, but it can also be served with coconut milk for a milder finish.