Delicacy fit for a deity

From The Star
By ESTHER CHANDRAN

Photos by SAMUEL ONG

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.

Essentials: The ingredients for the Mothagam and Kozhukkattai are flour, grated coconut, lentils, brown sugar and salt.

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.

First step: The rice flour is mixed with water to form the skin of the Kozhukkattai.

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.