Ulundu Kozhukattai/உளுந்து காெழுகட்டை/Savory Rice-flour dumpling with Urad dal stuffing

On the last day of the marathon, i m bringing you a traditional kozhukattai made during Ganesh chathurthi. Uppu Kozhukattai/Ulundu Kozhukattai, this is the first time i m making these, though amma says, it is a custom in our side to make it for Chathurthi. I have always made Jaggery Kozhukattai/Modagam. After tasting them today, i will definitely make them for Chathurthi again.

Apart from a traditional neivedhiyam, it is a protein power-packed lentil snack, it is also steam cooked, that adds more to the health-quotient. Try them and let me know how it turned out.

To Make the dough
Ingredients

1.5 cups Modak Flour or Kozhukattai Maavu/Rice Flour (If using Rice Flour, Please See notes)

2 cups water

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon gingely oil

Method

In a wide pan, boil the given amount of water. Add salt and a teaspoon of gingely oil.When the water starts boiling, reduce the flame, add the rice flour, little by little and keep stirring. Or else take the boiling water out of the flame, add the rice flour, mix well to form a sticky dough without lumps and return it to the flame again.
Let it sit on the flame for another 8-10 minutes. Add another teaspoon of gingely oil and keep stirring. The Dough might still be sticky. Take it off the flame, Keep it Covered until it becomes warm enough to touch.
When it is warm, Knead it well to form a pilable dough, Keep it covered it until use.

To Make Ulundu Pooranam

Ingredients

1 Cup of urad dal

7-8 nos red chilies

2 sprigs of curry leaves

Salt to taste

Tempering

2 teaspoon oil

¼ teaspoon mustard seeds

¼ teaspoon hing

½ teaspoon chana dal

Method

Soak urad dal in water for 30 minutes. After the given time, drain the excess water.Take it with rest of the ingredients in a mixer and grind it to a coarse paste without adding water.
Transfer the ground mixture to another plate. Divide the ground mixture into 4 balls and steam cook for 10 minutes in a steamer or idly cooker. We used idly cooker and used idly plates for steaming.
Once steamed, take it off the stove, transfer the steam cooked balls into a flat plate and crumble them.

Heat a kadai with oil given under "tempering", splutter mustard seeds, add hing and chana dal. Once the dal turns brown, add the crumbled urad dal mixture to it and mix well. Saute in a simmer flame for 4-5 minutes.
Let it be on the stove until it dries up a bit, take it off the flame. Keep it aside until use.

Making the Kozhukattai

Knead the dough using a teaspoon of gingely oil to make a smooth and soft dough.
Divide the Dough into 25 equal-sized balls. Take the dough and Shape it into a small bowl. Use your thumb, index finger and ring finger of both your hands to shape it. I have attached a Video, hope it helps.

Place a 1 or 2 teaspoon of urad dal filling into it, bring the ends together and close it with a pointed edge. Repeat the same for rest of the dough.
I tried using the modak mould to shape the modaks, somehow made around 15-18 modaks. But need some practise to get it perfect.
Steam Cook in a Steamer or in a pressure cooker without whistle for 8 -10 minutes. Take it off the stove, Serve it to Lord Ganesha and Hog!!!

Notes

During Ganesh Chathurthi we get Modak/Modagam Flour or Kozhukattai Maavu in Indian stores here. We can also use the normal Rice Flour/Idiyappam Flour for making this. The Difference is the amount of water it needs.
If using regular rice flour the ratio of Flour and Water is 1 : 2, if using Modak Flour/Kozhukattai Maavu then it is 1.5 : 2.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 42