Kozhukattai

Today is vinayaka chaturthi and it is celebrated all over India in a grand manner. In my house When I was a kid , we buy a ganesha idol made of clay. I remember the beautiful,colourful umbrella which comes with the idol.
We decorate our house with kolams, we tie mavilai and thoranam to the entrance of the house and the puja room.
Kozhukattai(modak) is the favourite dish of Lord Vinayaka. So my Mom makes different varieties of kozhukattai and sundal which we offer during the puja.
The third day after making a puja we immerse the idol in well. This is an interesting event and me, my sister and brother will be waiting to do this. In those days we had a well in our house and so we immersed the idol there. But nowadays there is only borewell in every house in chennai and so we take the idol to the temple.
Festivals do make us remember of our childhood days.

Kozhukattai(1)

This is yet another recipe I learnt from my MIL.She makes this once in a month for every ‘Sangadahara Chaturthi’.

Ingredients

Riceflour-1 cup
Coconut grated -2cups
Jaggery- slightly less than ½ cup
Milk- ½ cup
Ghee- 1tsp
Cardomom powder- ½ tsp
Salt – a pinch
Oil- 4 tsp

Method

Mix ½ cup of milk , 1 ½ cups of water to the rice flour, ghee and a pinch of salt together. Heat the batter in a pan (preferably non stick) and keep stirring without any lumps, till it forms a dough consistency.
When it is cooled add 4 tsp oil to that and knead it into a soft dough.Make small balls out of this.
Now for the filling mix the jaggery, coconut and cardomom powder in a pan and heat it. After 6 to 8 minutes if u take some in ur hands u will be able to roll out balls. Remove from heat now and when cooled make small balls(smaller than the rice flour balls).

Kozhukattais can be made in two ways.
a) For ball shaped: press the rice flour ball in the middle and make a cup . keep the coconut ball inside this and close it.

b) For flat shaped: Place a plastic sheet on top and bottom of the riceflour ball and press with a small plate or bowl(round and flat). Place the filling and close it. Seal the edges and mark lines with a fork.

Steam the kozhukattais in pressure cooker using idli plates.

Kozhukattai(2)

My Mom makes this type of kozhukattai very well.This is the first time Iam trying this .

Ingredients

Riceflour-1cup
Jaggery- ¾ cup
Coconut grated- 4tsp
Cardamom powder- ¼ tsp

Method

Add ¼ cup of water to the jaggery in a non stick pan and bring to boil. Add the other ingredients to it. When it forms a ball like dough without sticking to the sides, remove from heat.
When cooled make small balls. Place them in ur hands and close ur fists to get the desired shape. steam them in idli plates for 10 mins(like idlis).

Also Check out the other versions of Kozhukattai

1.Akshayapaatram

2. Menutoday