Kozhukattai recipe | modakam – Sweet Poornam kozhakattai recipe for Ganesh Chaturthi
| Varalakshmi nombu – Recipe with full video for outer cover and modakam
I grew up seeing my amma and grandmother making kozhakattais on a large scale for Varalakshmi nombu and Ganesh Chaturthi. We all love kozhukattais, both the sweet and savory versions were made. Appa loves sambar for ulundu poornam kozhakattai and a batch of ammini kozhukattais was also made. So unknowingly I have inherited the passion for making modakam | kozhakattai right from childhood.
I still love making modakam but in my in-law’s house, we make only the sweet poornam kozhakattai, not the savory version. But we all love the cute mini ammini kozhukattais. I have posted a detailed post on how to make Outer cover for modagam in 4 different ways. Also, my Instagram page have these videos too. Do give this a try and let me know how it turned out.
Also check out other Varalakshmi nombu recipes and Ganesh Chaturthi recipes.
Kozhukattai | modakam
Ingredients
For outer dough
- 1 cup Rice flour | idiyappam flour
- 1.5 cup Water 1.25 cup to 1.5 cups approximately
- 1 tsp Sesame oil
- Salt a pinch
For the coconut poornam
- ¾ cup Coconut grated
- ½ cup Jaggery
- 1 tsp Ghee
- 1 pinch Cardamom powder
- ½ tsp Rice flour optional
Instructions
- In a pan add water and add the sesame oil also.
- If using rice flour add salt, since I used the idiyappam flour I didn’t add salt.
- When the water starts boiling, keep the flame to medium and add the flour to this and stir continuously for a minute, without any lumps.
- Put off the flame and when it is warm roll it with your hands to form a nice dough.
- Cover it with a damp cloth.
To make poornam:
- Add the coconut, jaggery, and ghee in the pan and stir it continuously.
- After 2-3 minutes this will form a thick mixture.
- If you feel that this is slightly loose, just add 1 tsp of rice flour to this and mix well.
- Add cardamom powder and mix well. Switch off the flame.
- When it is cool make it into small balls.
- Make the dough into lemon sized balls.
- Take a dough ball.
- With your fingers make a small cup out of it and place the poornam.
- Close this and make it into a modak shape.
- Do the same for the rest of the dough.
- Grease an idli pan, and place the kozhukattais/modakams in this and steam it for 10 minutes on medium flame.
- When it is done allow it to cool for 2 minutes. Otherwise it will break if you take it when it is hot.
- Kozhukattais are ready for neivedhyam.
Notes
- In a pan add water and add the sesame oil also.
- If using rice flour add salt, since I used the idiyappam flour I didn’t add salt.
- When the water starts boiling, keep the flame to medium and add the flour to this and stir continuously for a minute, without any lumps.
- Put off the flame and when it is warm roll it with your hands to form a nice dough.
- Cover it with a damp cloth.
To make poornam:
- Add the coconut, jaggery, and ghee in the pan and stir it continuously.
- After 2-3 minutes this will form a thick mixture.
- If you feel that this is slightly loose, just add 1 tsp of rice flour to this and mix well.
- Add cardamom powder and mix well. Switch off the flame.
- When it is cool make it into small balls.
- Make the dough into lemon sized balls.
- Take a dough ball.
- With your fingers make a small cup out of it and place the poornam.
- Close this and make it into a modak shape.
- Do the same for the rest of the dough.
- Grease an idli pan, and place the kozhukattais/modakams in this and steam it for 10 minutes on medium flame.
- When it is done allow it to cool for 2 minutes. Otherwise it will break if you take it when it is hot.
- Kozhukattais are ready for neivedhyam.
Check out my recipe for Parrupu payasam and Sakkarai Pongal.
Note:
- Always keep the dough (outer layer) covered in a damp cloth.
- Modakam | Kozhukattai stays soft for 5-6 hours if the outer cover is prepared well.
The presentation of modak over a saree n jasmine along the side indicates that ganesha pooja is on the way….very exited to welcome ganesha to my home….these modaks r remembering of ganesha n prasad as well!…the step by step pics r excellent…i know that it's tough to click step by step pics while making food means our attention should be on both cooking n clicking…so in that way u've clicked n cooked without lumps…g8 job jeysree!…feeling divine on visiting ur page…thnx-
Meena's Kitchen
Yummy looking this is my fav…pics look so festive
wow,they look so cute and are of same size! Can't wait to gobble this 🙂 Please pack me a dozen ;D
Soo prefect and festive, feel like having some, love this modakams very much..
All set for nombu.. the mehendhi is so good.. i love the modhak..good clicks..
they very cute n perfect….really it will be very taste one!!
Very cute n perfect …I was craving for these few days back 🙂 ….now that you are tempting me again !!
They look so perfectly made Jaishree ..I usually do it in a differnt way …beautifully explained!
They look so perfectly made Jaishree ..I usually do it in a differnt way …beautifully explained!
My favorite .Looks great
This is one of my favorite sweet..I ll b waiting thru d year 2 eat them on ganesh chaturthi…:)looks delicious
your mehendi colour has come out great Jeyashri. beautifully presented and step by step explained recipe.
Yummy dumplings. My favorite sweet dish. Great clicks .
Lovely presentation jeyashri!! Make me soo hungry!! Its high time i move to Simei..:-)
great dumplings! looking forward to prepare & eat them 🙂
looks superb, dear…lovely
Perfect kozhakattais luks very nice…presentation is too gud.
lovely presentation dear…too tempting
lovely presentation….looks absolutely delicious
A Girl's Diary
delicious kozhakattai..
Lovely post, looks simply beautiful. I am also getting ready for Varalakshmi pooja and this post really setting the mood for it.
perfectly done and well presented!!
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That looks perfect jeyashri! This year i'll have amma to help me with the kozhukattais.
I also love your nice red marudhaani.
Lovely presentation dear!
You are a darling. The detailed steps are so helpful dear.
And hey, did you do the mehandi? Couldnt get a complete look but seems beautiful 🙂
And thanks for letting me know that its varalkshmi pooja tomorrow 🙂
The recipe comes right in time as the festival season is right ahead..perfectly done kozhakattais
Perfect one for vinayagar chathurthi. Love these. Urs look so perfect
The first two clicks are so cute…The pattu pudavai and jasmine flowers are so nice..
Love the design in your hand…
Thanks for sharing …
Truly divine 🙂 The jasmine is making the pics look so beautiful 🙂
We make the coconut filling with sugar instead of jaggery 🙂 Your version is definitely yummy 🙂
This recipe brings in the festive mood…perfect presentation too…love this anytime..
Love it so so much.. waiting for Vinayakar chaturthi.. Just Last week made for garuda panchami waiting for next. Jasmine flower and first pictures is too good.I miss all these flowers here 🙁
Thanks for the step-by-step pics… lovely modaks….
looks fab ….loved it …
very much divine and authentic with pattu saree and jasmine. Very pleasent to see it.
Cheers,
Uma
hey Jeyashri do participate in the ongoing event and send me some delicious recipes of yours and get a chance to win a gift 🙂
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Kozhukattai looks so perfect. Very well presented!!!
Just awesome.No words to explain.
lovely modakams…Nice presentation too
https://panchamrutham.blogspot.com/
the kozhukattais look perfect…nice presentation with the jasmine flowers around…
Beautifully presented and looks awesome!
Lovely post , loved the first pic.
Lovely..makes me drool..:)
tks…means a lot a beginner..excellent step by step pics
Thanks.. Most of the the time I end up making more than required. This proportion is just ideal for small families like us.
Imade these today for sankatahara chathurthi. Came out perfectly. Thanks for the step by step recipe.
Made these for sankatahara chathurthi. Came out perfectly. Thanks for the step by step recipe.
Lovely yummy pictures going to try out today . Thanks for the post
Hi,I made this today but the outer layer is hard …what to do…
Hi aparna,
The reason may be u might have steamed it for more time.
Hi Jeyashri …. Thank you very much for the recipe. My wife and I tried this – and this is our very first attempt at kozhakattais – and it has come out very well. We used 3/4 glass of grated coconut and 1/2 glass of jaggery. This gave us poornam for 8 kozhakattais. For the outer covering, we did start with 1 and 1/4 glass of water, bit of salt and oil, but this was sufficient only for 1/2 glass of rice flour. And to our surprise, this much dough was sufficient for 8 kozhattais 🙂 We still had some dough to spare and used it for 4 ammuni kozhakattais, which incidentally also turned out very well.
All in all, great success. Thank you very much !
Could you please tell me the alternative to steaming.. i have pressure cooker but don't have idly tattu… please help….
Regards, Gayathri
Hi no worries you fill a small cup with water and place it inside the cooker . Keep water into the cooker as we keep generally. Place the modak in a greased plate and place it on the top of the cup. Cover n steam for 10 mins without putting the weight.
Hi… Last time i made mel maavu..It became very sticky..So i could not make it into balls. And poonam too was watery.what was my mistake?
If it is sticky means, it is not cooked properly. It needs to be put in the pan and cooked for 5 more mins approx. Poornam, becomes watery if you add more jaggery and less coconut.To make up this you can add 1-2 tsp of rice flour in the last, if it is still watery.
Thanks a lot…Will try tomorrow..??
Hi..Both sweet and kaaram kozhukatais came out really well ?? thanks a lot
love your website and have tried these before and will make them tomorrow
Hi, I have tried method 2 and 4. All went well, but after steaming the kozhukattais became very hard. What could have gone wrong?
The kozhukattais are steamed for a long time, that's why it has become hard.