Til Modak / Ellu Kozukattai

After very long time i am hereagain ,posting something.. that means i am back at my home for some days again ! :) As i travel a lot now a days, i got another fever of buying different regional and traditional utensils from different part of our country...this time i was back with some bamboo, modak making mold and some bamboo spatula ! :)

Now coming to the point,this post is again the entry of SNC Challenge which need no introduction in our blogging world ! I simply love this event from core of my heart..but due to work load i was not able to participate last months..but this time i can't miss.


As soon as i got the mail of North team challenge i jumped with joy as i was about make Modak anyway( due to my newly brought modak mold ) :P and addition of sesame ( til ) has given me another reason to make it asap !

 

While making these dumplings i was thinking that in all our regions of India we make similar kind of sweets..like with same ingredients in North-East we make Pitha (which bytheway i simply adore :P ),in Maharashtra its Modak and in south same modak gets another name Kozukattai !

This month challenge is given by Viji as Ellu Poorna Kozukattai or Til Modak.For stuffing i followed her exact method but for cover i make as i make usually.

INGREDIENTS
(15 modaks)

For Stuffing:
 1/3 Cup Jaggery
1/4 Cup Coconut(shredded)
1/3 Cup Sesame (Black/White)
2 Pods Cardamoms
2 tbsp Water

For Cover:
1 Cup Rice Flour
1tsp Ghee/Oil
1/2+1/4 Cup Water
Pinch of salt


DIRECTIONS

For Cover:

• Mix flour with 1/4 cup of hot water and salt.
• Boil 1/2 cup of water with 1 tsp of oil.ghee.Add flour and keep whisking it will you get soft dough like consistency,
• Remove from heat and let it rest for 5 minutes.

For Filling:

• Roast sesame seeds for couple of minutes and grind it into a coarse powder.
• Melt jeggery with water and sieve it.Again bring it to boil than add coconut and cardamom.
• As soon as it start bubbling again switch off the heat and mix in the sesame.

Assembling:

• Take small size of dough in your hand,make a flat circular shape.Put 1/2 tsp of stuffing in center and pinch all edges together on top of it covering from all sides.
• Prepare all Modaks similarly.
• Stream them for 7-8 minutes on high heat.They will become translucent after getting cooked.
• Serve hot !

# Cover each Modak by moist napkin while making it to avoid cracks.
## Keep stirring rice flour while cooking to avoid lumps.
### I used white sesame seeds but you can use black one too.