Sweet Coconut Kozhukattai Recipe - Modak Recipe - Vinayagar Chaturthi Recipe

Kozhukattai (Modak) is a delicious Vinayagar Chaturthi recipe. Here I am giving you this recipe with step by step procedure with pictures. This recipe is not only limited to functions in our home, we prepare whenever we have carving for sweets.

This sweet kozhukattai and different types of kozhukattai is usually prepared during Vinayagar chaturthi / Ganesh chaturthi. This is the main recipe prepared for Lord Ganesh whenever we offer him naivedyam as this recipe is considered as one of his favorite. Vinayagar chaturthi is  Lord Ganesh birthday. On that day in our home we prepare more than one type of kozhukattai. We usually make kara kozhukattai (spicy version ) also on that day along with payasam and other Savory items.

Kozhukattai is a steamed rice dumplings. This can be either sweet or spicy version. The preparation of outer layer prepared using rice flour will almost be same for different kozhukattai only the stuffings will vary. Here I am giving the recipe in which stuffing will be prepared using coconut, dates and jaggery.  

Ingredients for Kozhukattai: Rice flour – 1 cup Hot water – 1 and 1/4 cup Sugar – 1 tsp or Salt – 1 tsp Oil - 1 tbsp For Stuffing: Coconut – 1 cup grated Jaggery – ¾ cup Dates – 3 to 4 chopped Cardamom powder – from 1

Method:

• Grate the coconut and keep it aside
• Dry roast the rice flour and keep it aside. 
• Keep the water in the flame and allow to boil along with salt or sugar and oil. (you can add salt or sugar according to your taste preference).
  
• When water starts boiling add the water to the roasted rice flour and mix well using laddle. Add water until you gather all the flour and made into a smooth dough ( slightly sticky consistency).
  
• Make it to a smooth dough and keep it covered with a wet cloth to prevent from drying.
• Roast the coconut for a minute and add jaggery, mix well.
  
• Add chopped dates, ghee, cardamom powder and mix well.
  
• Keep it in the flame until all the ingredients are mixed well. Switch off the flame.
• First fill the mould with rice flour by leaving some space in the middle for stuffing.
  
• Then add the stuffing in the middle.
• And cover it with a rice flour dough on the top as shown in the picture.
• Then remove the kozhukattai carefully as shown in the figure. If kozhukattai is sticking to the mould grease it with some oil.
  
• After it is removed from the mould arrange it in the steamer (I used idli steamer) and steam it for 10 to 12 minutes or until outer layer becomes shiny.
  

Note:

• The outer layer rice flour dough should be prepared only at the time of preparing kozhukattai to prevent it from drying.
• You can prepare the stuffing before you prepare kozhukattai to reduce preparation time.
• If your rice flour dough is sticky you can sprinkle some rice flour and mix well.
• If your rice flour dough is dry you can sprinkle very little water and mix well.
• You can also add coarsely grounded roasted peanuts to the stuffing.
• Water should be boiling when we adding it to a rice flour so that rice flour will be cooked well.