MODAKAM / THENGAI POORANA KOZHUKATTAI
Thengai Poorana Kozhukattai / Modakam is a tasty and delicious sweet. It is mostly done for neivethiyam during vinayagar chathurthi,varalakshi nombu etc.. As vinayagar chathurthi is nearing thought of sharing this modakam recipe. We can make many different varieties(stuffing) of kozhukattai, but thengai purana kozhukattai is the traditional neivedhyam.
We can also making this modakam as tea time snacks. Lets look at the steps of making this modakam.
Preparation Time : 20 mints | Cooking Time : 45 mints | Makes : around 15
Ingredients :
For outer dough :
Raw rice - 1/2 cup Sesame oil - as required Water - As needed Salt - As needed
For Pooranam :
Coconut - 3/4 cup
Jaggery - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 1 tspn Cardamom powder - 1 tspn
Water - 2 tbspn
Method :
1. Heat a pan, add 2 tablespoon of water and add grated jaggery. Make the jaggery dissolves completely in water. Heat a tspn of ghee and roast coconut in a tawa till the moisture is absorbed fully.
2. Don't allow the coconut to change its color. Strain the jaggery syrup to remove dust and add it to the fried coconut.Add cardamom powder and mix well so that jaggery syrup is coated evenly. Stir well continuously till it roll like a ball and does not stick the sides of the pan. Now the stuffing is ready.
3. Wash and soak the rice in water for 2 hours. After that, drain the water and take it to mixer jar. Grind the rice to a smooth paste by adding required water.
4. Heat a pan and add 1/2 cup water,sesame oil,salt. When its starts boiling add the grinded paste slowly in low flame and keep stirring the batter continuously.
5. The batter will start becoming thick and gradually all the moisture will be absorbed and the batter will become like a dough. Switch off the flame and allow the dough to cool. Transfer the dough to a bowl and add 1 tablespoon of oil.
6. Knead it well for couple of minutes and cover the dough with a damp cloth and set it aside. Now make the stuffing and dough into equal sized balls. Grease the hands with oil and take the dough.
7. Flatten them as thin as possible like a small cup.Now keep the coconut pooran stuffed ball and keep in middle of the cup as shown below. Pull around the edges and bring it to center over the top of the filling.
8. Bring it together to form modakam shape.Now repeat the procedure for the remaining dough too. Grease the idli plates with oil and then place the kozhukattai cups in the idly plates. Cook the kozhukattai in idli cooker for 10mins. Remove the cooked kozhukattai from cooker and allow it to cool off and then gently take it out.
Thengai pooranam kozhukattai is ready to serve and for neivedhyam..!!
My Notes:
1. If the dough is not cooked well, you may not be able to make the cups properly and will break while making. To check if you touch with wet hands it should not be sticky.
2. To check if the kozhukattai are done, it will be shiny and slight change in color.
3. The pooranam should not be too dry or too juicy.
4. Make thin layers of the outer dough so that the mothagam are soft and gets cooked easily.
