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You are here: Home / Festival Recipes / Vella Kozhukattai Recipe – Modakam (Mothagam) for Vinayaka Chaturthi

Vella Kozhukattai Recipe – Modakam (Mothagam) for Vinayaka Chaturthi

November 24, 2015 29 Comments

Modakam or Vella Kozhukattai will always have a special place in our family not just because of how important it is for Vinayaka Chaturthi, but also because of the countless evenings of making modakam and how it’s usually a family project. While ammini kozhukattai is cuter and arisi upma kozhukattai is more practical for a meal, we are all huge lovers of this vella kozhukattai.

Vella Kozhukattai Recipe - Modakam (Mothagam) for Vinayaka Chaturthi

My grandmom was an expert at modakam making and did it with gusto since her grandson (my brother) loved it so much. I remember many evenings of me eating the raw outer covering with the coconut filling as the rest of womenfolk sat around shaping the mothagam for steaming.

Vella Kozhukattai Recipe

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Makes 12

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup of raw rice powder
1 1/4 cup of water, more or less
1/4 tsp of salt
1/2 cup of jaggery
1/2 cup of grated coconut
2 tsp of ghee
1/4 tsp of cardamom powder

INSTRUCTIONS:

vella kozhukkattai (sweet modak) | ganesh (vinayaka) chaturthi recipes

1. First we have to make the filling or the pooranam. Heat a pan with 1 tsp ghee. Add the grated coconut and the grated jaggery and mix well until it begins to roast a bit and starts to turn a bit drier.

vella kozhukkattai (sweet modak) | ganesh (vinayaka) chaturthi recipes

It will take about 8-10 mins for it to reach the stage we require. Keep mixing now and then and add cardamom powder before removing from fire. Set aside and allow to cool.

vella kozhukkattai (sweet modak) | ganesh (vinayaka) chaturthi recipes

2. Meanwhile, bring 1 cup water to boil with the 1/4 salt also added in. Once it boils, remove from fire and add the 3/4 cup rice flour in, mixing as you do so. Make sure no lumps are formed and mix well until you get a soft dough that’s similar in consistency to chapati dough (it won’t be stretchy though). Start with 1 cup water and keep adding a few drops as you mix until you get the desired consistency. Depending on the type of rice flour and humidity, etc, you will need different amounts of water. Let this mixture cool down a bit until you can handle it. Don’t let it cool completely, or else the rice dough will become dry.

This is the toughest part of making vella kozhukkattai or modak. Depending on how this comes out, your modaks can turn hard or soft or crack while they are steamed.

vella kozhukkattai (sweet modak) | ganesh (vinayaka) chaturthi recipes

3. Roll the pooranam into small balls and set aside. The coconut I used had long strands in it that’s why my filling is all rough. Use normal grated coconut and you should be fine.

vella kozhukkattai (sweet modak) | ganesh (vinayaka) chaturthi recipes

4. With wet hands, take a lime-sized portion of the rice dough, form a ball by greasing your hands with the ghee, and flatten on your palm like so. Make sure its not too thin. I like there to be more filling than outer covering so I use lesser dough. Adjust according to your preference.

vella kozhukkattai (sweet modak) | ganesh (vinayaka) chaturthi recipes

5. Place the filling in the centre…

vella kozhukkattai (sweet modak) | ganesh (vinayaka) chaturthi recipes

…and cover the filling with it as uniformly as you can. It’s the same technique used for aloo paratha. Once covered, make a smooth ball (just using the fingertips of one hand and rolling-rotating).

vella kozhukkattai (sweet modak) | ganesh (vinayaka) chaturthi recipes

6. Place on your steamer plate (greased with some ghee if you like, I didn’t do it)…

vella kozhukkattai (sweet modak) | ganesh (vinayaka) chaturthi recipes

…and steam for about 10-15 mins until the covering glistens. It will still be sticky to touch but don’t steam for more than 15 minutes or they will harden.

Let cool and use the sweet modaks to please Lord Ganesha into giving you whatever you wish for 😉

vella kozhukkattai (sweet modak) | ganesh (vinayaka) chaturthi recipes

Notes:

– instead of jaggery, you can also use brown sugar. The flavour will definitely be compromised a bit but the taste will be just fine. The reason why my filling looks extra dark is because the jaggery we get in Kerala is super unrefined (and unsalted) and very dark in colour and I always bring back jaggery when I go home. Use whatever jaggery is available where you live.

– The filling or pooranam for vella kozhukkattai can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for up to a day.

– When working with the rice dough, make sure you work quickly before the heat leaves the dough. Even if you can’t steam all modaks together, make the balls and keep ready for steaming in the next batch. Don’t let the dough sit as is for too long or else it will dry out.

– Aatha, my grandmom, used to make her own rice powder. If you’d like to try the same, soak 1 cup raw rice in water for 5-6 hours. Drain and let it dry spread out on a tea towel. Once dry, grind to a fine powder. She used to get it done in the mill, in bulk, but using your mixie should work too. I haven’t tried it this way.

– The rice layer can turn hard and rubbery if you keep this for over a day. Re-heating or re-steaming will make it soft again but only for a short while so serve fresh and finish it off as soon as you can! Also, the rice layer consistency can vary depending on the type of rice or rice flour you are using. Experiment a bit to see which brand or method works best for you.

For Modak recipe in Hindi, Vella Kozhukattai recipe in Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, please use the Google Translate tool on the right sidebar of the website.

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By nags Filed Under: Festival Recipes, Ganesh Chaturthi Recipes, Snacks and Appetisers, Sweets Puddings Desserts, Uncategorized

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anandan

    September 12, 2018 at 8:14 pm

    Hi, I thought you were honest in describing the receipe.. Am going to try it tomorrow…Am Anand from Chennai. Thanks..

    Reply
    • nags

      September 14, 2018 at 9:26 am

      good luck!

      Reply
  2. Anonymous

    September 19, 2012 at 1:23 am

    They look perfect and am sure they taste perfect too!! But tell me how you managed to get them so white???
    🙂 cheers!

    Reply
  3. Maddy

    September 14, 2012 at 6:11 am

    This recipe looks yum! Have a basic q tho… Can I use a pressure cooker if I don't have a steamer?

    Thanks.

    Reply
  4. Maddy

    September 14, 2012 at 6:09 am

    This recipe looks interesting ! Planning to try this out tomorrow. Have a basic q tho… Can I use a pressure cooker if I dont have a steamer?

    Thanks,
    Madhavi

    Reply
  5. anitha santosh

    March 16, 2012 at 5:51 am

    it was exilent nag thanks

    Reply
  6. Rookie Qookie

    January 11, 2012 at 3:17 am

    I made these today and it came out gr8 🙂

    Reply
  7. Miri

    September 2, 2011 at 11:04 am

    I make these every year mainly because i simply love the taste of the coconut jaggery filling 🙂 I just shape them into modakams instead of leaving them round

    Reply
  8. Anonymous

    September 1, 2011 at 3:04 pm

    made this today and came out perfect . thanks for the recepi

    Reply
  9. Varunavi

    September 1, 2011 at 2:16 pm

    Made them today,came out very well….

    Reply
  10. rama

    August 31, 2011 at 2:10 pm

    You made it sound so simple, yet it is not, even I rolled out the kozaikattai instead of doing the pinching thing. I am told that the puranam should be visible from outside, it should be so fine yet should not break while making them or while steaming them. Well I have made them today itself and would keep it for the God tomorrow. Some one was saying Marati modaks are difficult, I think both are made in the same manner with slight difference in the items they put , but the modak has to be made like the south Indian only, and it is difficult.
    I think only practice would make us perfect.
    Happy Ganesh Chaturthi!
    rama-anant.blogspot.com

    Reply
  11. ganesh chaturthi pooja

    August 31, 2011 at 10:57 am

    Thanks for the great recipes.

    Reply
  12. Alleppeyvala

    August 30, 2011 at 10:17 pm

    Hey Nags: I was reading your story about being agnostic. Well after my recent visit to India, I am convinced that I am not doing enough in the religion department. All my sisters and sisters-in-law do so much every day in their pooja rooms. I do remember to say prayers before bedtime:):). By the way recipe looks great.

    Reply
  13. Toyin O.

    August 30, 2011 at 9:50 pm

    That looks so good, thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  14. Anjali

    August 30, 2011 at 5:31 pm

    Nags I'm hosting a Ganesh Chaturthi event you can link up the post to my event announcement. These looks delicious and these are good for a beginner,unlike our Marathi Modaks that test the makers skill. I plan to make day after tommorow for the first day of celebration.

    Reply
  15. Reva

    August 30, 2011 at 2:29 pm

    Kozhukattais looks absolutely amazing:) Very delicious preparation:) I can understand what u mean by festive season recipes where blogs are flooded with the famous ones… and I usually wait for the season to pass by:) I should change that habit now…
    Reva

    Reply
  16. Janu

    August 30, 2011 at 1:38 pm

    Thats great of you to post a traditional recipe nags!!! Kozhakattais look yum!!!

    Reply
  17. Jaya

    August 30, 2011 at 11:49 am

    Now tell me why you havent made them
    earlier :-D.they look absolutely delicious..Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to you and your family..hugs and smiles

    Reply
  18. Kadhyaa...

    August 30, 2011 at 11:26 am

    Nag's that looks perfectly awesome..i love these modakas..Wish you and your family happy Vinayaka Chathurthi..

    Reply
  19. DEESHA

    August 30, 2011 at 10:18 am

    I Don't knw what I wud do if I lived in a different country because, at home it's always my mom n my mil who follow traditions n all i do is sit n eat all the traditional snacks. I loves these modaks, we shape them slightly different though

    Reply
  20. Siri

    August 30, 2011 at 10:12 am

    the modaks looks absolutely delightful Nags and am sure Lord Ganesha would be very pleased and bless you and your family with good health and prosperity. Advanced Vianayaka Chaturdhi wishes. 😀

    Siri

    Reply
  21. Priya

    August 30, 2011 at 8:34 am

    Looks super prefect, my fav filling..

    Reply
  22. Saee Koranne-Khandekar

    August 30, 2011 at 6:18 am

    I love coconut-jaggery fillings, as you will see from my blog. LOVED these pictures–reminded me of Kerala. Gorged on them everywhere I went.

    Reply
  23. Arch

    August 30, 2011 at 5:58 am

    These look beautiful !! Perfect timing, was planning to make these for Ganesh Chaturthi for the Tam husband in addition to what I regulary make for this festival…Our festivals are so much about food, right ? Thats what makes me enjoy them more…I have started celebrating these with more enthu after my son was born, he needs to at least know what these festivals are !

    Reply
  24. jeyashrisuresh

    August 30, 2011 at 5:30 am

    nice to see festive recipes here and may lord ganesha shower his blessings to u and ur family

    Reply
  25. Vijitha

    August 30, 2011 at 5:28 am

    Happu ganesh chathurthi Nags! Yummy gundu gundu kozhukatais.

    Reply
  26. Hari Chandana

    August 30, 2011 at 4:07 am

    Wowww… looks super delicious and perfect.. love it 🙂
    Indian Cuisine

    Reply
  27. Tina

    August 30, 2011 at 6:06 am

    looks perfect..

    Reply
  28. Sharmilee! :)

    August 30, 2011 at 4:54 am

    Looks so yumm…my fav anytime

    Reply

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I am Nags, the face behind Edible Garden, a food and recipes website for the busy (and sometimes lazy!) cook since 2007. My recipes are meant to be quick yet healthy and delicious - Nothing fancy, nothing too difficult. Follow Me On Instagram for real-time food and life updates.

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