Modak/ Kozhukattai with Coconut and Jaggery

Name: Modak/ Kozhukattai with Coconut and Jaggery
Total time: 1800 s
Yield: 21 pieces
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 cups Raw Rice (short grained rice); 1/4 tsp Salt; 1 tsp Sesame Oil; 1.5 cups +1/2 cup Water; 1 cup For the Coconut Filling:; as required Grated Coconut; 1 tbsp Chana Dal soaked for 10 mins, drained and pat dried; 3/4 cup or 1 cup Jaggery for extra sweetness; 1/2 tsp Cardamom powder; as required Chana dal soaked for 10 minutes

Rajni @Rajjoskitchenn

Modak is a sweet or savory steamed/fried dumpling, offered to Lord Ganesha during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. This also forms a part of the prasadams made during the Varalakshmi Puja in south India. Modak can also be made of Mava(dehydrated milk).

Ganesh Chaturthi is one of the major festivals of India, especially in Maharashtra. It is a 10 day festival, where a clay idol of Ganesha is kept in every home, and coloured clay idols in every street. Daily prayers are offered, and in the evening a many cultural activities are organised.The 10 days of festival that starts with Ganesh Chaturthi, comes to an end with the Ganesh Visarjan, where Ganapati Bappa(as he is fondly called), is bid adieu, and immersed in the sea. Most of us know that Modak is Lord Ganesha’s favorite food, apart from Aval/Pohe

In this recipe I have made the Modaks from homemade rice flour. I have also explained how to process the flour

#modakfromscratch #ganeshchaturthi #modak #ukadinchemodak #kozhukattai #vinayagarchaturthi #undrallu

In this recipe I have made the Modaks from homemade rice flour. I have also explained how to process the flour

#modakfromscratch #ganeshchaturthi #modak #ukadinchemodak #kozhukattai #vinayagarchaturthi #undrallu

Rajni @Rajjoskitchenn

In this recipe I have made the Modaks from homemade rice flour. I have also explained how to process the flour

#modakfromscratch #ganeshchaturthi #modak #ukadinchemodak #kozhukattai #vinayagarchaturthi #undrallu

In this recipe I have made the Modaks from homemade rice flour. I have also explained how to process the flour

#modakfromscratch #ganeshchaturthi #modak #ukadinchemodak #kozhukattai #vinayagarchaturthi #undrallu

Saved

Ingredients

1 he. 30 mins

21 pieces

For the Dough:
2 cupsRaw Rice (short grained rice)
1/4 tspSalt
1 tspSesame Oil
1.5 cups +1/2 cupWater
1 cupFor the Coconut Filling:
as required Grated Coconut
1 tbspChana Dal soaked for 10 mins, drained and pat dried
3/4 cup or 1 cupJaggery for extra sweetness
1/2 tspCardamom powder
as requiredChana dal soaked for 10 minutes

Saved

Steps

1 he. 30 mins

1

To Process the Rice flour: Take the raw rice,wash and drain the water thoroughly. Refill water and soak the rice for 1 hour. Try not to soak more than this time. After 1 hour, drain all water, and spread out the rice on a clean cotton cloth. Switch on the fan and let the moisture dry, but not completely. So close to an hour of drying will do. When you touch the rice, it should be dry, but the moisture should have locked in.
2

Now put the rice into a blender jar,and grind to a fine powder. Grind in parts if required. Now sieve the flour, and discard the coarse remains. Spread the flour on a paper for the extra moisture to dry,about 30 minutes. The flour is now ready to use. This can be put in a container and stored. I store it in the fridge. The processing of flour can be done ahead to save time.
3

To make the dough: Take 1.5 cups of water in a heavy bottomed Kadai, add the salt and oil, and roll boil. (Roll boiling is when the water starts bubbling the bubbles rise upfromthe bottom of the kadai and go down again). Keep another 1/2 cup water in a cup close by(to use if required).
4

Now slowly adding the flour with one hand, stir continuously with the other.(see picture). Keep stirring until the whole flour is in the water. Using a spatula mix well,until it comes together, add oil, and transfer the dough to a bowl.
5

Now let the dough cool for 5 minutes(don’t let it cool completely). It may appear dry, sprinkle some water over it from the 1/2cup water,and knead the dough well. The dough should be smooth and crack free. Test the dough by pinching a small portion, and try to shape it. Ifthe dough is cracking up,or falling apart,the dough is dry. sprinkle more water and knead the dough again. Now form a ball of the dough, apply little oil, and keep it covered in a wet cloth until further use.
6

To make the Coconut filling/Purnam: Take the Chana Dal soaked in water for 10 minutes. Drain the water completely,and pat dry all the moisture. Put the chana dal, in a heavy bottomed kadai, and roast untilwarm, add the grated coconut,and the jaggery(powder the jaggery before use). Without adding any water keep stirring. The jaggery will start melting from the moisture from the coconut. Stir constantly until the mixture comes together. Add the cardamom powder. Allow to cool completely.
7

The mixture solidifies a little on cooling. Grease your hands with sesame oil or ghee, pinch small portions and make tiny balls and set aside.
8

To shape the Modaks with mould: Grease palms with sesame oil. Pinch small portions and make Gooseberry sized balls from the dough. Grease both sides of the mould with oil nicely. Now take one ball,and flatten it. Fit it into one half of the mould. Repeat,and spread the dough into the other half of the mould also.
9

Now take the stuffing, and place it in the center of one side of the mould, close the mould to bring the sides together. With the dough overhang seal the bottom portion also. Now open the mould, and remove the modak gently. Check for any gaps,and seal them. Repeat for the entire dough. Get the steamer or cooker ready, and steam the Modaks for 10-12 minutes.
10

To Shape the Modaks with hand: Grease palms, pinch Lemon sized balls from the dough,and keep covered. Take one, start by first flattening the outer edges with your thumb and index finger, as shown in the picture. Now with your thumb finger press the bulgy center part inwards,forming a well. Now widen then well and start giving the shape of a cup that is a little deep, so that the Purnam/filling fits comfortably. Now place the coconut. Now place the coconut Purnam in the center.
11

Now to seal the Modak, bring the edges of the cup togehter as shown in the picture. The give it a pointed shape at the tip. Get the steamer/cooker ready. Steam for 10-12 minutes. Cool and then remove the modak from the steamer.