Mothagam

தேங்காய் பூரண கொழுக்கட்டை (Mothagam)

Mothagam is one of the favorite and religious dish of lord Ganesha, which is also offered during prayers. The sweet filling on the inside of a modak consists of freshly grated coconut and jaggery, while the outer soft shell is mainly made by rice flour, some people may use wheat flour as well. My kids always like to have this kozhukattai. My grandma does this without mould in round shape and she use sugar instead of jaggery.

Ingredients for Mothagam

Dumpling (outer layer)

Rice flour – 1 cup
Boiling water as needed
Salt – pinch
Oil for greasing mould

Pooranam (filling)

Jaggery – 1.5 cup
Water – 1/2 cup
Shredded coconut – 1.5 cup
Cardamom powder – 1 tsp
Ghee – 1 tsp

Directions

Prepare pooranam (filling)

Heat jaggery and water in a pan until completely dissolved.
Filter the jaggery water in to a pot and keep it aside.
Pour ghee in a frying pan and add shredded coconut.
Stir coconut until it becomes little dry.
Now pour the filtered jaggery water into the pan and cook until thickened.
Drizzle cardamom powder now and give a gentle mix.
Stop the flame then transfer the stuffing into a bowl or plate.
Let the stuffing cools down until we can handle.

Prepare outer layer

Add rice flour in a mixing bowl.
Boil water in a pan.
Pour the boiling water little by little to the rice flour.
Mix well with ladle stick continuously until well combined.
Knead a little with hands (flour will be very hot, handle carefully).
Rice dough is ready.

Assemble

Take the mould and apply oil in it.
Stuff little rice dough as shown in the picture.
Add one small ball size stuffing into the mould.
Close the kolukattai on top with some more rice dough.
Follow the same steps for the rest of the kozhukkattai.

Steam

Heat water in an idly pot.
Arrange the kozhukattai in the idly plates.
Cook the kozhukattai for 10-15 minutes.
Mothagam ready.

Notes

If you don’t have mould you can do this like a stuffed ball size kozhukattai as shown in the picture.
Don’t over cook the jaggery and coconut mixer, stop the flame when it reaches semisolid state. Because after it cools down the stuffing will thicken a little.