Modak - பூர்ண கொழக்கட்டை

 
   Ingredients for the 'Thengai Poornam'

1. Grated Coconut 1 cup
2. Jaggery  1/4  cup 
3. Ghee 2 teaspoons 
4. Cardamom ½ tsp

    Pre-preparation

Soak 2 cups of raw rice in 4 cups of water for 2 hours.Use this water for grinding this to a liquid consistency ( like thick milk). Keep aside.

     Poornam Preparation

In ½ cup of water dissolve the jaggery.

Filter this jaggery syrup to remove dust and debris.

Pour this in a thick kadai. When it turns to thick syrup consistency, immediately  add the grated coconut , cardamom and 2 teaspoons of ghee.

Stir till the coconut is completely covered by the jaggey syrup and once it starts to thicken remove from heat. Immediately transfer this to another bowl. 

  

Shell preparation

In a non stick pan, add a few drops of oil, pour the rice paste, Keep stirring till it rolls into a thick dough like consistency and the color changes from white to translucent white. It should not be sticky to your fingers.

Grease your palms, roll it into small ball.

Start flattening it from the outer periphery slowly rotating and flattening the ball.

This will take the form of a cup.

Place a spoon of poornam inside the cup. Close it so that it resembles a coconut's shape. 

Steam these in an idly cooker.

Traditional Modakam

My mother-in-law making Modaks

Add 1 teaspoon of boiled and mashed/ ground toor dal with 1 teaspoon of poornam.Mix together. Make a few modakams as following the above steps.This is called modakam and an important offering to Ganesha on the Ganesh Chaturthi day.