Poorana Kozhukattai or Modak

Directions

• Pooranam 1 – Coconut
• Add the jaggery in a thick pan and add 1/4 cup water and keep on low flame.
• When the jaggery completely melted, add coconut gratings and stir now and then till it blends well and become solid.
• Add cardamom powder and mix well. Cool it.
• Pooranam 2 – Dal
• Soak Bengal gram dhal in water for about two to three hours.
• Cook the Dhal in water till soft, but not mushy. Drain the excess water. Grind the dhal along with jaggery, coconut and cardamom to a fine paste.
• Heat up a thick pan and add this mixture to it and stir over a medium flame till the mixture is solid. Let it cool.
• Pooranam 3 – Ellu (Sesame Seeds)
• In a thick pan add the Ellu and dry fry till it starts crackling. Remove and let it cool.
• Add it in a mixie and grind it just for two to three rounds.
• Then add powdered jaggery and again grind it for few seconds.
• Finally add cardamom powder and again run the mixie for one to two rounds and remove it.
• Outer shell – Method 1
• Soak two cups rice in water for about one hour. Drain the water completely and grind it to a fine powder. Sieve it.
• Boil two to two and a half cup of water along with a teaspoon of oil and a pinch of salt.
• When the water starts boiling, reduce the heat and add the rice flour and stir continuously until it become a thick dough. Switch off the stove and cover with a lid.
• After few minutes remove the lid and allow the dough to cool. When it is warm enough to handle, knead it well.
• Tip
• You can prepare rice flour as below or you can use store bought ready made rice flour also. The water quantity depends on the quality of rice flour – sometimes it absorbs more water and sometimes less. So boil some extra water and keep it handy. Use for 1 cup flour, one or one and half cup water first and then if require more water then add the reserved hot water.
• Outer shell – Method 2
• Add the rice flour in a kadai and dry fry till nice aroma comes out. Remove from stove and keep aside.
• Boil 2 to 3 cups of water along with salt and a teaspoon of oil (preferably gingelly oil). Pour this boiling water in the fried rice flour slowly and mix it using a wooden spoon.
• When it is warm enough to handle, knead it well.
• Now dough for outer cover is ready.
• Final part
• Take out small lemon size dough and make a ball. Using your thumb slightly press the ball in the middle and hold with your fingers and make a cup.
• Add one tablespoon Pooranam in the cup and close the edges. It look like half circle. To make modakam, put the pooranam in the rice cup and bring all the edges to the centre and press slightly.
• Finish all the dough and pooranam like above.
• Arrange in a greased idli plate and steam it for five to seven minutes. You can use double boiler for steaming, which is having flat plate and hold more kozhukattai and retain the shape also.
• If you find it difficult to make rice cups, you can use Kozhukattai mould.
• Tip
• If you make little more rice dough, after making few Poorana Kozhuttai, you can prepare “Uppu (Salt) Kozhukattai” or mini size “Ammini Kozhukattai” with the remaining rice dough. Grease your fingers and take out a little dough and make a gooseberry size balls and put it in a idli plate and steam cook for five minutes. These can be taken as it is or you can season it with mustard, urad dhal, curry leaves etc. Best thing is just sprinkle little “Idli Milagai Podi” over the kozhukattai and eat. Some people add little chilli powder in the dough itself. However, if you make plain kozhukattai, we can give it to kids also.