3 KOZHUKATTAI VARIETIES | GANESH CHATURTHI RECIPES

• Processed Rice flour or  Idiyappam flour or kozhuakttai flour – 1 cup
• Water – 1.5 cups ( Quantity varies, so keep some excess hot water ready in hand)
• Oil – 1 tsp
• Salt –  1/2 tsp

• In a broad bowl , take the flour and add the salt. Mix well and set aside.
• Now in a bowl, take the required water and add a tsp of sesame oil.
• Let it boil for few seconds in high flame.When it starts to roll boil, switch off the flame and add the water to the flour little by little. Mix the flour with a wooden ladle.

• Add more water if required. Mix well and make a whole mass like chapatti dough. (initially you need a ladle to mix but when the dough becomes warm, mix it well with ur hands to make a soft , non- sticky dough..)
• Apply a tsp of sesame oil over the dough to cover it. ( this prevents the dough from drying) .Cover it with wet cloth and lid , set aside. Have a look at this VIDEO for more details

• Always make the pooranam first & then make the outer covering..

• Black sesame seeds – 1/4 cup
• Powdered jaggery – 1/3 to 1/2 cup
• Grated coconut – 1/4 cup
• Water – 3 tbsp
• Salt – a pinch

• In a kadai , dry roast the sesame seeds till it splutter with a nice smell.

• In a bowl, take the powdered jaggery and cover it with little water.
• After it melts , strain the impurities and then add the grated coconut, cardamom powder and roasted sesame seeds.

• Mix till it starts to leave the sides of pan and becomes thick. Do not mix for long time. It will become hard and difficult to roll balls. Remove in a plate and divide into small portions. 

• After it turns warm, roll into tight balls by greasing your hands with sesame oil. If the sesame seeds crumble while rolling, add 2 tsp water, mix well and again heat for a minute. Start rolling balls when warm. It will work.

• Take a big gooseberry sized ball from the dough and roll it by greasing ur hands.
• Pat it with ur palm and make it flat like a thattuvadai.

• Keep the ellu poorana ball in the center and bring all the corners towards the center and make a coconut shape.( Grease ur hands with oil whenever required)

• Follow the same for all the sesame seeds balls.

• Chana dal Kadalai paruppu – 1/2 cup
• Powdered jaggery –  3/4 cup
• Grated coconut – 1/4 cup
• Cardamom – 3 nos (powdered)
• Water – 1/4 cup
• Salt – a pinch (optional)

• Pressure cook chana dal by adding the required water and a drop of oil. Drain the water. Grind or mix well it to make a paste without adding water and set aside.

•  In a bowl, take the powdered jaggery and add little water to cover it.When its melted , strain to remove impurities OR if the jaggery is pure, add it directly to the mashed dal along with grated coconut.

• If using syrup, strain it. Wash the kadai and add the syrup, grated coconut and cooked dal, cardamom powder( please do not add water, the coconut itself leaves water which will be enough.)

• Mix well until the mixture leaves the sides and becomes a thick whole mass. ( Do not add water while adding the dal paste because the lesser you add the water, sooner the pooranam will start to leave the sides and becomes thick.. Stuffing will be ready)

• Make small balls out of the stuffing and keep ready.
• The unused stuffing can be refrigerated and used for 10 to 15 days.

• I Used a ready made kozhukattai mould  to make a good shape.
• U can also try the shape which i mentioned under ellu kozhukattai to make coconut shape. I’ve explained using mould here. Take the mould, open it and grease it with gingely oil. Take a small ball from the Kozhukattai dough and keep it inside the mould. Just spread it all the sides till 3/4 of the mould by keeping the center empty. Now close the mould and press it with your left hand fingers.

• Now place the dal pooran ball in the center. Take a small berry sized ball and place it on the top of the dal pooranam and close it well.

• Now open the mould , you’ll get a nicely shaped kozhukattai.
• Follow the same for the remaining .. Steam it in idly pot for 10  mins and enjoy !!

• Urad dal – 1/2 cup
• Green chillies – 2-3 nos
• Ginger – 1/2 inch piece
• Grated coconut –  1/4 cup
• Asafetida / hing – 1/4 tsp
• Salt – as needed

to temper

• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal – 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves – few
• Hing –1/4 tsp

• Soak urad dal in water for 30 mins . Drain the water and grind it along with green chillies , hing , ginger and salt to a coarse paste without adding water. (just run the mixie once or twice)

•  In a idli pot , grease the idli plate and spread the ground urad dal mixture. Make a hole in the center for uniform cooking.. Steam it for 15 mins.

• After it cools down , crumble the mixture using ur hands and run it in the mixie once or twice for easy perfect crumbling and keep it ready.

• In a kadai, temper the mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leave with a pinch of hing. Then add the crumbled urad dal mixture and mix well.

• Finally add the grated coconut, mix well and switch off the flame.

• Take a big gooseberry sized ball of outer covering and press it with your palm to flatten it.
• Keep the filling in the center and fold one side to make a semi circle.
• Fold the edges towards inside to decorate it or leave it as it is !
• Steam in idly pot for 10 mins and remove.

1. Use good quality rice flour. If you are planning to make by grinding rice, buy raw rice ( in tamil nadu we call as “maavu arisi) i.e. the rice used for making rice flour..Its a different quality , not the one we use for pongal. It is cheaper in cost too.
2. I use store bought rice flour – Idiyappam flour or Anil kozhukattai maavu. I always add 1.5 cups of water adding a tsp of oil for making dough. For home made rice flour , more water may be needed. i.e around 1.5-2 cups..
3. Always add the required water while making the dough.If the dough becomes sticky or dry , you’ll get crack.
4. Keep the unused dough covered with a wet cloth and then with a lid while you make modakam.
5. Its always better to prepare the outer covering after making pooranams/ stuffings to prevent the dough sitting for long time.
6. U can refrigerate the unused dough covered by wet cloth be keeping in an air tight box & use the next day or the same evening.
7. Pooranam can be prepared the previous day and refrigerated.
8. Apply sesame/gingely oil in ur hands every time when you make the shape.
9. Last but not the least , do not cook the kozhukattai in idli pot for long time which may lead to cracks.( maximum of 8-10 mins is enough)
10. Always place the idli plate filled with kozhukattai after the water in the idli pot starts roll boiling.. This helps for quick cooking and also the kozhukattai remains white in color and crack free.
11. U can identify the cooked kozhukattai by its shining look..
12. Always remove the kozhukattai after it becomes warm. Do not remove when it is hot. Kozhukattai may break.