Ukdiche Modak | Inippu Kozhukattai | Ganesh Chaturthi Recipes

Ganesh Chaturthi was never celebrated nor it’s done now at my parents place, I have no idea why!  So Ganesh or Vinayakar Chaturthi means eating all those yummy goodies from neighbors and in the last day watch from terrace Ganesh visarjan.   I still remember all the different kinds of Kozhukattai/kolukattai, kudumulu we used to get and relish, but after coming to Singapore there’s not much of happening here as it’s always working day and nor it’s celebrated with fun and fair.   With blogs full of modak, kozhukattai these days I was tempted too and finally manage to make these.  It took lot of courage from me to try this as it’s my first time of making modak, though it doesn’t look perfect but tasted yum.   If you haven’t tried modak yet then don’t be afraid give a try.

Ingredients:

For Modak Outer Layer
Rice Flour – 1 Cup
Water – 1 1/4 Cup
Salt – 1/4 tsp
Ghee/Sesame Oil – 1 tsp

For Filling/Puran/Pooranam
Jaggery (Gur) –  3/4 Cup
Fresh Grated Coconut – 1 Cup
Cardamom Powder – 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg Powder – 1/2 tsp
Roasted Poppy Seeds Powder – 1 tbsp [optional – I didn’t use]

Method:

For Filling/Puran
1. In a pan add jaggery and coconut and saute for 2 minutes until jaggery starts to melts.  Add cardamom powder, nutmeg powder and poppy seeds if using, mix everything well, remove from flame and allow to cool.  (if over cooked filling will become hard)

For Outer Layer
2. Boil water in a pan add ghee or oil whatever using.   Add salt and rice flour.
3. Mix quickly in slow flame not forming any lumps.

4. Once everything come together off flame and let the dough sit for 2 minutes covered.  In the same pan or in a different bowl knead dough to make it smooth.  It will be warm so big careful while doing this.  If required keep dipping hand in water.  Cover the dough with damp cloth at all times.


To Make Modak/Assembly
5. Pinch a medium lemon size dough and make it into smooth ball.  Grease hands with oil, start pressing with fingers edges of ball to make a small cup/katori.  Make sure cup is not very thick. 
6.  Fill 1-2 tsp of filling and bring all the edges together to seal modak, you can gather them together to form a bundle or roll well to make it in round shape like I did. Repeat same for rest.
7.  Heat a steamer with water or idli cooker, grease idli plates and steam modak for 10-12 minutes, once the outer layer done will be shinny. 


Our modak is ready.  Serve this warm or microwave for 20-30 seconds before serving.



And this goes my Festive Food: Ganesh Chaturthi Event.

Have a nice day !