Kozhukattai

Food

Kozhukattai, (Mothagam in Sanskrit) is the most favorite dish of Lord Ganesha. Ganesha is referred to as Mothagapriyan, denoting his liking for this sweet.

Traditionally Kozhukattais are the principal sweet prepared during Vinayaka Chathurthi festival.

My daughter who tasted it once said, "Mum, it is sooooo delicious, no wonder it is Ganesha's favorite. Can't we have it often?"

Here I have given the recipe for the mouth watering Kozhukattai... There are four varieties of Kozhukattai. The sweet Kozhukattai filled with coconut and jaggery is the most favoured and popular.

Let's make the sweet Kozhukattai now:

Ingredients

To make about 40 Kozhukattais, take:

• Rice Flour: 1 measure in a 200ml cup
• Coconut: One coconut
• Jaggery: 200 gms.

  Kozhukattai consists of an outer cover and an inner filling (something like samosas).

  First for the outer cover:

  1. Wash and soak raw rice for an hour.
  2. Drain the water completely and spread the rice on a cloth and allow it to dry. The rice can be allowed to dry in the shade itself.
  3. Grind the raw rice to a smooth flour.
  4. For 1 measure of rice flour take 2 measures of water. Boil this water in a kadai (a shallow thick bottom vessel). Add a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of seasame oil.
  5. Allow the water to boil. When the water starts boiling add the rice flour to this, stirring continuously without allowing any lumps to form.
  6. When the mixture has formed into a smooth thick batter, remove from the fire. The batter must be thick enough like chappathi batter.

  Alternatively...

  1. 1. Soak raw rice for 2 hrs. Grind the rice into a smooth consistency, with water in a mixer grinder like a dosa batter.
  2. Boil this batter adding a pinch of salt, stirring continously to make a smooth thick batter.

  Now for the filling...

  1. Grate fresh coconut.
  2. Add a teaspoon of milk to the grated coconut and grind it in a mixer grinder lightly. (This is optional).
  3. For one measure of grated coconut you need one measure of powdered jaggery.
  4. Add a little water to the powdered jaggery and keep on low fire and stir for some time. When the jaggery has dissolved completely in water add grated coconut to this and keep stirring for some time. Then remove from fire and add powdered cardamoms to this.

  Now for the making of Kozhukattai cups...

  1. Smear your hands with a little seasame oil. Smoothen the prepared rice flour batter with your hands.
  2. Make small balls (the size of a lemon).
  3. Make cups out of these balls which is an art! If you can't get it, forget Kozhukattai!

  Filling the cups...

  1. Fill these cups with the prepared coconut-jaggery filling.
  2. Put these filled up cups on an idli-plate and pressure cook them.

  Now the delecious Kozhukattais are ready to eat!