For Vinayagar chaturthi / Ganesh chaturthi as every year this year too I made kozhukattai…And this is the method I follow…. A simple way …that never fails for the outer layer…Yes, 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 kozhukatais
VIDEO FOR MAKING MODAK SHAPE
Mothagam recipe
Channa dal Pooranam for mothgam : Click Here
Recipe Cuisine: Indian | Recipe Category: Snack Prep Time: 30 mins | Cook time: 30 mins | Makes: 20
Ingredients
Idiyappam flour – 1 cup
Water – 1 &1/3 cup,or as needed
Sesame oil – 1 tsp
Salt – If needed
Water – 1 &1/3 cup,or as needed
Sesame oil – 1 tsp
Salt – If needed
Method
- Boil water with oil(add salt if the flour doesn’t have salt in it..mine had salt in it so I dint add any salt). Take the flour in a broad vessel. Add the boiling water little by little and mix with the help of a ladle.
- Let it cool for about 5 min ,it may be warm, still knead with your hands to make a smooth dough.The consistency should be like our chapatti dough…non sticky..
- Keep covered till you use to prevent drying. Make small lemon sized balls with the prepared dough.For each step or when ever needed grease your hands with sesame oil.
- Make the stuffing also same sized balls.I am showing with sweet pooranam(stuffing).Take a dough ball and start flattening the ball with your fingers around he sides as shown in the picture.
- Then continue towards the centre of the ball so that you make a bowl shape as shown in the picture.Then keep the stuffing inside.
- Gather all the sides and pinch together in the middle and make a mothagam shape .Refer the second video to see how to shape.
- Now follow the procedure to make some 8 and arrange it in a idly plate as shown or in a steamer and steam cook for 10 – 12 minutes.Now carefully take it out from the idly plate and your kozhukattais are ready!
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,the dough should get cooked 3/4th,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,to get it smooth.
There are various methods of making stuffing for this, like in sweet with coconut jaggery and channa dal,or with sesame seeds instead of channa dal, and salt version with urad dal. 
Srivalli
September 4, 2008 at 8:36 amRaji..Those kozhukattais are looking awesome..nice shapes!..good to see you back!
Bharathy
September 4, 2008 at 8:36 amWOW!..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,
September 4, 2008 at 9:36 pmWow!!!
yummy kollukattai….
Laavanya
September 5, 2008 at 6:32 amSo nice to see you again Raks… and those kozhukattais are like works of art – perfect!
Sireesha
September 5, 2008 at 3:01 pmLovely step by step procedure……Kozhukattais look awesome…..
Kalai
September 6, 2008 at 2:03 amBeautiful kozhukattais! I always have trouble with the outer covering cracking and the pooranam leaking. Any idea of what might be wrong? Thanks!
Leena
September 6, 2008 at 2:03 amI 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
September 6, 2008 at 3:07 amGood to see you back!
Wow, awesome recipe! Nice pics.
Daily Meals
September 6, 2008 at 8:27 amHi Rak’s Kitchen! Nice to see you back…The kozhukattais look awesome
…
Nags
September 6, 2008 at 10:22 pmoh wow! they have come out nice and pretty! my bro loves these modakas and so do i 🙂 yummy!
RAKS KITCHEN
September 8, 2008 at 12:56 amKalai,
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
September 8, 2008 at 2:15 amI love those kozhakattais prepared you….Looks perfect
vidya
September 11, 2010 at 2:20 pmHi 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
September 11, 2010 at 2:23 pmVidyaThanks 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
September 13, 2010 at 5:16 amVery nice clippings. Thanks for all the effort into making the video's.
Deepa
October 1, 2010 at 10:09 amYOu 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
August 30, 2011 at 1:43 pmWow..it makes me drool ..lovely step by step pics…bookmarked!
Priya's Feast
August 31, 2011 at 8:52 amWow..Raji..Awesome post on kozhukattais….I luv it as much as the lord ganesha do…Happy vinayakar chathurthi
Now Serving
September 1, 2011 at 5:02 amIWOnderful 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
September 2, 2011 at 12:46 pmawesome recipes dear…love your clicks too…
Chk out my DIWALI Event
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shameema and shabana
November 23, 2011 at 11:49 pmHai 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
June 8, 2012 at 1:50 amOh My God. You are awesome. Very good chef and beautiful photographer. Your family must be so proud.
Unknown
July 1, 2012 at 12:06 pmHi, 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
July 1, 2012 at 12:11 pmHI, 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
July 27, 2012 at 5:08 amThe 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
August 28, 2012 at 6:14 amHai,
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
August 28, 2012 at 6:22 amHI 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
September 18, 2012 at 12:58 pmYour 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
September 19, 2012 at 3:15 amHi 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
September 20, 2012 at 2:01 amHi 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
September 24, 2012 at 10:25 amHey 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
September 24, 2012 at 10:25 amHey 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
September 24, 2012 at 10:28 amHey,Akshata good to hear from you 🙂 Thank you for your prompt feedback 🙂
KEERTHI RAMESH
September 17, 2013 at 12:08 pmHI
VERY NICE & EXPLAINED WELL
mini rajan
March 23, 2014 at 1:36 amHi 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
August 24, 2015 at 4:51 amI 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
September 7, 2016 at 10:02 amHi 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:)