Kozhukattai (Kolukattai / Modakam) – the traditional sweet prepared for Ganesh Chaturthi 🙏✨. Lord Ganesha is believed to love modakam (steamed dumpling), especially the jaggery-coconut filled ones.
Here’s a classic Kozhukattai (Sweet Modakam) recipe for Ganapathi Chaturthi:
🌸 Ingredients
For Outer Dough (covering):
- Rice flour – 1 cup
- Water – 1 ¼ cup
- A pinch of salt
- 1 tsp sesame oil / ghee
For Sweet Filling (pooranam):
- Grated coconut – 1 cup
- Jaggery (powdered) – ¾ cup
- Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
- Ghee – 1 tsp
🌸 Method
- Prepare the filling:
- Heat a pan, add jaggery with 2–3 tbsp water.
- Once it melts, strain to remove impurities.
- Return to flame, add grated coconut and cardamom.
- Stir till the mixture thickens and leaves the sides.
- Add ghee, mix well, let it cool. (This is pooranam).
- Prepare the dough:
- Boil water with salt and sesame oil.
- Lower flame, add rice flour gradually, stirring continuously.
- Mix well, turn off flame, keep covered for 5 mins.
- When warm, knead to a soft non-sticky dough.
- Shaping Modakam:
- Grease hands with oil/ghee.
- Take a small ball of dough, flatten into a thin cup.
- Place a spoon of coconut-jaggery filling.
- Gather edges and seal into a modakam shape (pointed top).
- Steaming:
- Place the modakams on a greased steamer plate / idli plate.
- Steam for 8–10 minutes until they turn glossy.

