Kozhukattai recipe for Ganesh Chaturthi festival. Kozhukattai is a traditional sweet dumpling prepared with rice flour outer layer, a sweet jaggery, lentils and fresh coconut stuffing inside. A beloved snack for the elephant God Vinayagar, it's a must in our households as offering.
This dish is made during Vinayagar chaturthi and other festivals like varalakshmi Nombu in South India.
Check out my easy mothagam recipe with just coconut, jaggery and do not forget to read my complete guide to celebrate vinayaga chaturthi.
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Secret for softness
The readymade idiyappam flour available at grocery stores is the handy and best for the kozhukattai outer layer and the result is a very soft kozhukattai.
You do not need kozhukatta flour commercially available these days. Better than that, just buy a good quality idiyappam flour. As it is a processed flour, it gives softest results.
If you want to prepare rice flour from scratch, you can also do it, check out my post on how to make rice flour. You can use it in this kozhukattai recipe.
You can even prepare this 2 days before and use it for the festival.
Stuffing
The stuffing we make is always chana dal pooranam (kadalai paruppu pooranam). It has coconut too. We make a large amount and enjoy as such too.
Kadalai paruppu pooranam
Kozhukattai Ingredients
Here are the ingredients needed to make Kozhukattai. (Sweet kozhukattai with kadalai paruppu pooranam)
- Rice flour - I use idiyappam flour as it is processed and gives softest results. You can also use your own homemade rice flour.
- Chana dal - Kadalai paruppu - This gives a balanced taste of the stuffing and adds taste, texture, volume to the stuffing.
- Coconut - Fresh grated coconut adds taste to the sweet kozhukattai.
- Jaggery - Use good quality jaggery. I now a days like to use organic Jaggery powder.
- Cardamom - for flavour.
- Oil - Just a little for softness in dough and greasing hands.
- Ghee - Optional for adding a little in the stuffing.
Check out my recipe card below for exact quantities and full list.
Step by step images
Let's see how to make kozhukattai with a filling of jaggery and dal.
1. Firstly, wash and soak chana dal for minimum 1 hour.
2. Soaked chana dal is easy to cook and mash. Water should be enough to make all the dal immerse.
3. Once done, cool down
4. Mash it well or you can even run it in a mixer.
5. Then take a heavy bottomed vessel / kadai and add jaggery to it. Pour water carefully just to immerse it.
6. Heat furthermore and let all jaggery dissolve.
7. Filter it through a metal strainer. Do not pour everything as last few drops can have impurities. So watch and stop.
8. After that, wash the pan as the impurities may be stuck to it. Again pour the filtered jaggery syrup and start boiling.
9. Once frothy, it is the right stage.
10. After that, add cooked, mashed dal.
11. Then mix well and add coconut. (Not shown in picture)
12. Keep cooking until it is thick. It gets thickened furthermore as it cools, so switch off accordingly.
13. Lastly add cardamom.
14. Once cooled, gease your hands, roll into small balls and keep the stuffing ready.
Prepare kozhukattai dough
1. In a mixing bowl, take the rice flour, oil and required salt. Mine already had, so skipped.
2. Bring water to a rolling boil. Add boiling hot water gradually and using spatula, mix roughly.
3. Keep covered until warm enough to handle. Then knead to smooth it.
4. Divide and keep the dough also ready. Keep the dough covered at all times.
5. Each time, work on the dough by kneading it for crack free results while you shape kozhukattai.
6. Start by thinning the outside and move towards inside, this way it gets the shape.
7. You will get a bowl shape eventually.
8. Then place the stuffing inside.
9. Seal the stuffing by gently covering with the dough around it and on top, while finishing, give a shape to modaks.
10. Boil water in a steamer and place the dumplings place in creased steamer plate.
I used my idli plate and idli pot for steaming. Steam cook for 5-6 minutes in medium heat or the layer is non sticky, shiny, opaque.
Keep the rest of the kozhukattai before and after steaming covered, as it gets dry. Repeat to finish. Soft & hot kozhukattai ready to offer to lord Ganesha.
Top tips
- Use less water while cooking dal and making jaggery syrup as it will save your time. More water, it will take more time to come together.
- Rolling and keeping the coconut-jaggery dal stuffing ready ahead saves a lot of time and mess free preparation of kolukattai.
- If you make the jaggery syrup too thick, the stuffing will get sticky or hard.
- Make sure to boil water really well for making dough in this method so that the flour gets cooked. This is the key to crack free, soft and moist.
- Grease the steamer plate well, otherwise kozhukattai will stick to it and get broken/ torn.
FAQ
Always boil water before placing the kozhukattai inside steamer. If you heat the kozhukattai along with water, the skin will have cracks.
Steam as soon as you prepare. Do not let it dry or refrigerate.
Keep the dough covered all the times. Do not let it dry. If the dough is moist, it will never break.
Dough could be undercooked. A very well cooked dough is easy to shape and moist, does not crack. So make sure the dough gets cooked when you prepare.
Why is my kozhukattai skin rubbery?
Use good quality, process rice flour. Idiyappam flour, kozhukattai flour works best. You can also use homemade rice flour. The key is to use processed rice flour, good quality rice flour for making this kozhukattai recipe.
How to get softest kozhukattai?
Use boiling hot water, enough to get soft dough. The dough should get cooked as you prepare. This ensures best soft kozhukattai.
The dough should neither be tight nor be sticky. Adjust water or add one or 2 tablespoon flour to balance.
Use generous sesame oil while preparing dough.
Why my kozhukattai turns dry after steaming?
Once cooked, keep it covered in a container to avoid drying.
Substitutions & Variations
Instead of chana dal you can also use Yellow moong dal or even green moong.
There is savory version too, check out my Ulundhu kozhukattai recipe.
You can also make a stuffing, with just sweet mixture of coconut and jaggery as thengai poorna kozhukattai.
Storage
Kozhukattai are best when made and had freshly. It is not great if you freeze or refrigerate. The stuffing alone can be made ahead and refrigerated. Leftover stuffing also can be used upto a month in fridge.
Recipe card
Kozhukattai Recipe | Ganesh Chaturthi recipes
Ingredients
For kozhukattai dough
- 1 cup Idiyappam flour or good quality rice flour/ Homemade rice flour
- 1 & ⅓ cup cup Water as needed
- 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
- Salt
For poornam
- ½ cup Chana dal kadalai paruppu
- 1 cup Jaggery powdered
- ½ cup coconut grated
- 2 cardamom
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
Prepare sweet stuffing
- Firstly, wash and soak chana dal for minimum 1 hour.
- Soaked chana dal is easy to cook and mash. Water should be enough to make all the dal immerse.
- Once done, cool down. Mash it well or you can even run it in a mixer.
- Then take a heavy bottomed vessel and add jaggery to it. Pour water carefully just to immerse it.
- Heat furthermore and let all jaggery dissolve.
- Filter it through a metal strainer. Do not pour everything as last few drops can have impurities. So watch and stop.
- After that, wash the vessel as the impurities may be stuck to it. Again pour the filtered jaggery syrup and start boiling.
- Once frothy, it is the right stage.
- After that, add cooked, mashed dal.
- Then mix well and add coconut. (Not shown in picture)
- Keep cooking until it is thick. It gets thickened furthermore as it cools, so switch off accordingly.
- Lastly add cardamom. Once cooled, gease your hands, roll and keep the stuffing ready.
Prepare kozhukattai dough
- In a mixing bowl, take the rice flour, oil and required salt. Mine already had salt, so skipped.
- Add boiling hot water gradually and using spatula, mix roughly.
- Keep covered until warm enough to handle. Then knead to smooth it.
- Divide and keep the dough also ready. Keep the dough covered at all times.
- Each time, work on the dough by kneading it for crack free results.
- Start by thinning the outside and move towards inside, this way it gets the shape.
- You will get a bowl shape eventually.
- Then place the stuffing inside.
- Seal the stuffing by gently covering with the dough around it and on top, while finishing, give a shape.
Steam Kozhukattai
- Boil water in a steamer and place the dumplings place in creased steamer plate.
- I used my idli plate and idli pot for steaming. Steam cook for 5-6 minutes or the layer is non sticky, shiny, opaque.
- Keep the rest of the kozhukattai before and after steaming covered, as it gets dry. Repeat to finish. Enjoy the soft kozhukattai hot.
Video
Notes
- Keep the dough always closed and try to finish making the kozhukattais as soon as possible as keeping for long time may lead to cracking/dry kozhukattais.
- To check if the kozhukattais are done : The outer layer would have changed shiny.
- Boil water well for making dough. The rice flour dough should get cooked ¾th, then only the dough will be not sticky and also soft after cooking.
- Adding oil in the water/while making dough gives softer kozhukattais.
- Grease your hands generously each time you make kozhukattai, work on each (knead) just before shaping to get it smooth.
Srivalli says
Raji..Those kozhukattais are looking awesome..nice shapes!..good to see you back!
Bharathy says
WOW!..bookmarked!!..a real keeper!..I always fail with the outer layer..ending up in lumps..
Yours look perfect..!!
I have posted kozhukkattais last year and I use the poori presser.do visit my post abt the same when you have time!..
I will certain;y try your method, raji and let you know..
Happy that you are back and hope your little one has steeled with his new atmosphere 🙂
Me too a very lazy blogger these days..you see 🙂
priar's, says
Wow!!!
yummy kollukattai....
Laavanya says
So nice to see you again Raks... and those kozhukattais are like works of art - perfect!
Sireesha says
Lovely step by step procedure......Kozhukattais look awesome.....
Kalai says
Beautiful kozhukattais! I always have trouble with the outer covering cracking and the pooranam leaking. Any idea of what might be wrong? Thanks!
Leena says
I ran into your kozhukattais when I was blog hopping...nice step by step pictures and instructions for the recipe...decorative edges on the kozhukattais too!
Uma says
Good to see you back!
Wow, awesome recipe! Nice pics.
Daily Meals says
Hi Rak's Kitchen! Nice to see you back...The kozhukattais look awesome
...
Nags says
oh wow! they have come out nice and pretty! my bro loves these modakas and so do i 🙂 yummy!
RAKS KITCHEN says
Kalai,
There are some reasons for cracking:
1.The dough should be really smooth and moist,non sticky.For that,if you are using rice flour,boil water nicely with a teaspooon of gingelly oil.water should be hot enough to make the flour get cooked.
2.Enough wter should be added.
3.Keep the dough alwas covered to avoid drying,if itdries up also sprinkle hot water and little oil in between to make it again smooth.
The main key is the flour should get cooked while we ar making t dough itself and should be always moist(dont let it dry)
Hope this helps you:)
Sukanya says
I love those kozhakattais prepared you....Looks perfect
vidya says
Hi Rajeshwari,
First time in your blog when I was searching for kozhukattai recipe.Tried your recipe and it came wonderful.I always mess up on the outer layer( lumps are unavoidable) but ur recipe is a keeper.BTW,I made the outer layer with ready made rice flour that we get in the Indian stores(US).Still it works... 🙂
Thanks for sharing
Vidya
RAKS KITCHEN says
VidyaThanks so much for the feedback and the nice words 🙂 Appreciate that you spent time to write here 🙂 its really motivating me 🙂 I will also try with the plain rice flour next time 🙂
Srimathi says
Very nice clippings. Thanks for all the effort into making the video's.
Deepa says
YOu are truly a pro! I saw several blogs with kozhukkattai recipes. None of them ever match the beauties here! Such perfection in shape and texture!
Sowmya says
Wow..it makes me drool ..lovely step by step pics...bookmarked!
Priya's Feast says
Wow..Raji..Awesome post on kozhukattais....I luv it as much as the lord ganesha do...Happy vinayakar chathurthi
Now Serving says
IWOnderful demo! I have just made both the thithipu and uluthampoornams and kalaried the arusi mavu to make tomorrow - Sad part is no one will be back home until 6 pm -- I have to gorge the kozhakattais by myself 😉
Happy Vinayaka Chaturthi to you and family
cheers, priya
ANU says
awesome recipes dear...love your clicks too...
Chk out my DIWALI Event
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shameema and shabana says
Hai i simply adore ur blog they r looking so nice and yummy. Since from my childhood i enjoy this kozhukattai i really miss them a lot when i saw in ur blog i just gave a try to them the result was awsome better than what i used to have in my childhood. Thank u soooo much for all ur delicious recipies i also tried ur cheesy cauliflower kofta gravy it is really a big hit with my fuzzy 5 yr old daughter.
anu says
Oh My God. You are awesome. Very good chef and beautiful photographer. Your family must be so proud.
Unknown says
Hi, i came across your blog while seraching for step by step recipes and love it! I have bookmarked this kozhukattai recipe For later, but had a doubt...do you not pressure cook the modakams in the final step? The way i have learnt is to do that as a final step, without the cooker "weight" just for few mins to cook the outer layer. I of course use rice flour. Is that the difference?
RAKS KITCHEN says
HI, Yes in final step we have to cook(steam) the kozhukattais. You can use a steamer or idli pot/cooker or even pressure cooker for this as u have said.
Anisha Ranjit says
The filling is so different from how we make them... want to try this version... We too use idiyappam flour to make the outer covering...I've never added oil to the flour but I guess that might flavour it and also help with the texture...
I specially want to try the savoury ones...
Kavitha says
Hai,
I was searching for modak recipe as ganesh chathurthi is approaching... And urs is totally different. Just hv doubts which i need to clear b4 trying. In all the recipes i saw that rice flour is used and it was added directly to boiling water on fire by slowly adding the flour and stirring it. Which is easy and better? Rice flour or idyappam flour? To add water to the flour or flour to the water while the water is boiling?
RAKS KITCHEN says
HI Kavitha, Its depends, for me adding boiling water to the flour and kneading is easy, for some people, adding flour to boiling water is easy. Sometimes I mess up when I add flour to boiling water as it forms lumps ... So I follow this method of adding water to the flour and then knead. And idiyappam flour is shortcut method to get soft and perfect outer layer, as it is too fine it comes out really soft 🙂
kavitha says
Your bread uppuma receipe is very best. My kids like a lot.for vinayakar chathurthi, y don't you introduce ellu kozhakattai which is sweet and nice ,it's healthy too.
Brinda Devi says
Hi Rajeswari,
Pooranam and kolukattai came out very well, thanks for your receipe and keep your good work, as its really very helpful.
Have a nice day!
Gayathri Dheep says
Hi Raks...Thanks for the kozhukattai recipe..I tried it for the 1st time and it really came out well & tasty..your recipes are well explained with pictures and easy to follow :):)
Akshata Kumta says
Hey Raks, I tried the Kozhukattais too and for the first time ever got them right! Previous two times were disaster 😉 Your pictures all over this blog are just awesome. Keep up the awesome job and your quite an inspiration. Wishing you the best
Akshata 🙂
Akshata Kumta says
Hey Raks, I tried the Kozhukattais too and for the first time ever got them right! Previous two times were disaster 😉 Your pictures all over this blog are just awesome. Keep up the awesome job and your quite an inspiration. Wishing you the best
Akshata 🙂
RAKS KITCHEN says
Hey,Akshata good to hear from you 🙂 Thank you for your prompt feedback 🙂
KEERTHI RAMESH says
HI
VERY NICE & EXPLAINED WELL
mini rajan says
Hi raks ur recipees r amazing n inspiring to try! Hv tried ur ulundu wadai n want to try the ulundu kozhkottai now. Truly amazing pics n work! Thnx so much for all the perfect recipees shown to be made so easily! God bless mini
Narmadha M says
I tried this today and it came out perfect. Thanks raks, i look in for your posts for whatever new i want to try. Great going!
nandeetha pai says
Hi Raks,I have been a silent follower of your blog for a long time now.After seeing so many modaks on many food blogs I wanted to try them for Ganesh Chathurthi this time.But I decided to go ahead with your recipe as whatever I have tried from your page has always been a hit.As this was my first attempt at making them I was a little apprehensive.With your step by step instructions and pictures it was a super hit.My family really enjoyed it.Thank you very much.All the best:)
Malar says
Hi, can the stuffing in the modugam or kozhukkattai be made without coconut as my daughter is allergic to it.
Raks Anand says
Yes sure you can. Reduce jaggery accordingly as it may be too sweet otherwise.
priya singh says
There are lots of food blogger like this But the best food recipe "Kozhukattai" is yours. Thanks for giving me this wonderful blog. I will try to make it like you.
Raks Anand says
Thank you!