- Submitted by Raji Ramakrishnan
(Ellu Kozhukattai, Tilachi Modak)
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Ganesh chaturthi is my favorite festival right from my childhood. We make the sweet and spicy types of kozhukattai, the thengai pooran kozhukattai, ulundu kozhukattai and the ammini kozhukattai. Many families in the Brahmin household also make another variant of kozhukattai called the “Ellu kozhukattai”. It is not commonly made in our household, but I have been wanting to try the same since a long time. Since it was the auspicious Thai Friday 3 days before, I thought it was the best time to try this recipe.
Ellu kozhukattai is made using the same rice flour outer covering as used in other variants. The inside stuffing is made using the sesame seed and jaggery mixture. Sesame seeds especially the black ones are rich in iron. It is highly recommended for women suffering from anemia. Sesame seeds when combined with jaggery make a very delicious mixture. It is a must try recipe, never miss to do the same. Cheers!!
Recipe For Ellu Kozhukattai
Preparation time: 15 - 20 minutes
Cooking time: 7-10 minutes
Serves: 10 - 12
For the stuffing
Ingredients
- Black sesame seeds - 1/4 cup
- Jaggery - 1/4 cup
- Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
- Roasted peanuts - 1 tbsp
- Ghee - 1/4 tsp
Method
- Soak the sesame seeds in water for 20 minutes.
- Wash and strain through a tea strainer to remove excess water.
- Heat kadai and directly put the seeds in it and roast it. Keep aside.
- When it becomes cool, put it in mixer and pulse it for a minute.
- Then add the jaggery and pulse it again till you get a nice powder out of it.
- Add the ghee, roasted peanuts, cardamom powder and keep aside.
For the covering
Ingredients
- Fresh rice flour - 1 cup
- Water - 1.5 cup
- Oil - 2 tbsp
- Salt - ¼ tsp
Method
- Take rice flour in a kadai and mix with room temperature water to form a smooth paste. Add oil and salt to this.
- Switch on the flame and cook on low flame.
- Keep mixing continuously till it forms a ball and leaves the sides of the kadai.
- Transfer this cooked rice ball to a plate and keep covered for 10 minutes.
To make the dumplings
- Apply some oil on your palm and knead the dough (rice ball) smoothly.
- Take a small ball out of it and prepare the cover.
- Fill the ellu poornam (sesame seeds stuffing) and make the dumplings.
- Steam it for 5-7 minutes.
- When it is cooked, allow to cool. Take out carefully with a spoon. Your prasad is ready.
Tips
- Be careful while grinding the sesame seeds. It should not be ground for a long time as it releases oil and becomes soggy. It is better to pulse it a few times.
- Also, after adding jaggery it should not be ground too long. This will make the filling watery.
Detailed steps to make Vella Kozhukattai
Soak the sesame seeds in water for 20 minutes and drain excess water. Also keep jaggery and roasted peanuts ready.
Heat a kadai, roast the soaked sesame seeds in it. Keep aside. When it becomes cool, put it in a mixer and pulse for a minute. Then add the jaggery and pulse it again till you get a nice powder out of it. Add the ghee, roasted peanuts, cardamom powder and keep aside.
Take rice flour in a pot.
Add room temperature water and mix till it forms a smooth paste without any lumps.
Take this is a kadai. Also add oil and salt.
Cook it on low flame, mixing continuously.
Cook till it forms a ball and leaves the sides of the kadai.
Keep it covered for 10 minutes. After that apply some oil on your palm and make small balls.
Take one ball and shape it like a bowl. Fill the prepared ellu poornam (sesame seeds stuffing) in it. Cover the stuffing to form a dumpling. Arrange and steam for 5-7 minutes in a idli cooker or steamer.
Allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy it while it is still hot.
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