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Delicacy fit for a deity
MOTHAGAM and Kozhukkattai are special sweet offerings prepared and presented to Lord Vinayagar (who is also known as Ganesha and Pillayar) on the Vinayagar Chathurthi day.
Relished by devotees, these sweet delights are made of rice flour and sweet lentil filling.
The filling is usually made of lentils (channa dhal or green peas), brown sugar, coconut and salt.
The filling is cooked and left aside to cool before being filled into the rice flour skins and shaped.
The Mothagam resembling a mini dome is said to be Lord Vinayagar’s favourite food while the Kozhukkattai (shaped like a curry puff ) is the other commonly seen form.
Preparing the Mothagam or Kozhukkattai is a must for most devotees for Vinayagar Chathurthi.
S. Mangala Atchi and R. Kandiah share with us their recipes for the festive offerings.
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Essentials: The ingredients for the Mothagam and Kozhukkattai are flour, grated coconut, lentils, brown sugar and salt.
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Kozhukktatai
Ingredients (Kozhukkattai filling)
Five heaped tablespoons of brown sugar
Half-cup channa dhal
Four tablespoons grated coconut
Salt to taste
Method
Boil the channa dhal till soft and add four tablespoons of coconut, five tablespoons of brown sugar and cook till the ingredients are well mixed.
Add salt to taste.
Set the cooked mixture aside to cool.
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First step: The rice flour is mixed with water to form the skin of the Kozhukkattai.
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Ingredients (Kozhukkattai skin)
3 cups rice flour
Luke warm water (according to individual measurement to form a paste)
1teaspoon salt
Method
Mix the rice flour with water and form a big ball.
Pinch out a small amount of the dough and shape with the fingers to form a small circle.
Fill this with a teaspoon of the filling and fold like a curry puff.
Place the Kozhukkattai in a steamer and steam till cooked.
Mothagam (recipe courtesy of R. Kandiah)
Ingredients (Mothagam filling)
Roasted green peas – four cups
Brown sugar – one and a half cups
White sugar – according to taste
Grated coconut – two cups
A few cardamom seeds (pounded)
Method
Boil green peas till soft.
Midway, add in brown sugar and grated coconut.
Add white sugar according to taste.
Stir well till mixture is well mixed and cooked.
Lastly, add pounded cardamom.
Ingredients: (Mothagam skin)
Lightly roasted rice flour
Water
A pinch of salt
Method
Mix the flour with water added with a pinch of salt.
Knead till smooth and form a big ball of dough.
Take a small amount of the dough and shape into a round hollow.
Put in about a teaspoon of the filling and close the dough to resemble a ball with a small upward stem in the middle.
Use a steamer to cook the mothagam.
