Thengai Poornam Kozhukattai / Ukadiche Modak Recipe With Rice Flour

Make these super simple and delicious Thengai Poornam Kozhukattai also known as Ukadiche Modak for the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. It's super simple to make and when you watch the video you will make it like a pro!

Archana Doshi
2450 ratings.

Thengai Poornam Kozhukattai / Ukadiche Modak Recipe is a very festive sweet that is made for Lord Ganesha's Birthday also known as Vinayaka or Ganesh Chaturthi that is observed in the month of August - September.

The festival lasts for 10 days and is celebrated very popularly across most regions of India. On this day, Kozhukattai, that are steamed rice dumplings filled with coconut and jaggery (a sweet variant) and lentils (for a savory variant) are a staple offering made to Lord Ganesha, and enjoyed by all.

Your Ganesha Chaturthi Feast could also include some more traditional, regional dishes prepared on the occasion like : 

Course: Snack
Diet: Vegetarian
Prep in

10 M

Cooks in

30 M

Total in

40 M

Makes:

12 modaks

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Rice flour
  • 1 cup Water
  • 1 teaspoon Oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • For the filling
  • 1-1/2 cups Fresh coconut , grated
  • 1/2 cup Jaggery
  • 1 teaspoon Cardamom Powder (Elaichi)

How to make Thengai Poornam Kozhukattai / Ukadiche Modak Recipe With Rice Flour

Method for the Coconut Jaggery Filling for the Thengai Poornam Kozhukattai / Ukadiche Modak
  1. In a heavy bottomed saucepan; combine all the ingredients for the filling and place it on high heat until the jaggery is dissolved completely.

  2. Once the jaggery dissolves, turn the heat to medium and keep stirring until the mixture thickens and the water begins to evaporate.

  3. It takes about 7-10 minutes for the water to evaporate. Towards the end you will notice the mixtures comes together, with all the water evaporated. The coconut filling will now look like sticky mixture.

  4. At this stage, turn off the heat and transfer the mixture to another bowl to cool. Once cool divide the mixture into 10-15 equal portions. This will be the sweet filling for the modak wrapper.

Method to make the outer wrapper for the modak/ Kuzhakattai
  1. Bring the water to a boil in a pan along with the salt and oil.

  2. Gradually add little rice flour at time and keep stirring till the mixture comes together.

  3. Turn off the heat and transfer the rice flour mixture to another bowl and cover with a muslin cloth. Keep it aside for 5 minutes. It will help the Kozhukattai dough to come together.

Method to make the Thengai Poornam Kozhukattai / Ukadiche Modak
  1. With a little  oil in a cup, smear the oil in your hands and knead the dough well to remove any lumps. At all times make sure keep the dough covered with a wet muslin cloth to prevent the dough from drying out.

  2. Take a lemon size portion of the dough, make into a ball and press the dough in the palm of your hands to make a flat dough, cup your palms a bit so it forms a depression in the center.

  3. Place the jaggery filling in the center and bring the edges of the dough together to the center with a pointed top as shown in the image above. Continue the similar process with the remaining portions of the dough and coconut filling

  4. Note: Keep dipping and smearing your fingers and palms with sesame oil when you handle a new portion of the dough. This will prevent the dough from sticking to your hands

  5. Prepare the steamer filled with water. Place the filled dumplings in the steamer plate and into the steamer. Steam for about 10 minutes until the dumplings look shiny and smooth. You will also notice that if it is not cooked, the rice wrapper will be sticky.

  6. Once they are steamed, the Kozhukattai (Ukadiche Modaks) are ready for an offering to god for the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. You can also have this steamed dumpling as your Tea TIme Snack.