Modaks or kozhukattai

Recipe for Modaks.

There are different types of modaks prepared, all over. This recipe am giving you here is a new variety innovated by my mommy using cashew nuts, unlike the usual recipe which includes jaggery and coconut.

Inippu/sweet kozhakattai:

Ingredients:

For Outer covering:

Rice flour – 2 cups.

Hot water

Oil – a little

Salt to taste.

For Inner stuffings or Pooranam:

Cashew nuts 1 1/2 cups

Sugar 2 tb sp.

Coconut grated – a cup

Ghee – to fry

Ilaichi 1pc.

First, to prepare the pooranam, fry the nuts in the ghee. Add the coconut and the fried nuts n sugar and run it in the mixer a make a mixture.

For the outer covering, Add salt and little oil to the rice flour. Add boiling water to it little by little and make to a Roti dough consistency.

Now to make the modaks, first grease your palms with oil, so that the dough does not stick on. Now take little of the dough and make it into cup like shapes and fill in the pooranam and close it in like shown in picture.

Steam cook it until it is done and Serve hot.

Kaara kozhukattai / Uppu kozhukattai

Season mustard, urad dhal, green and red chillies, in oil, add grated coconut and let it get cooked. Allow to cool.

While making the dough, just add this seasoning to it and add salt, hot water and make it into a dough. Make the kozhukattai one by one and place it in the idli plate and pressure cook it.

Ganesh Chathurthi

Ganesha, usually known as Pillaiyar, Vinayagar, etc has always been my beloved and most adored dear Lord. Whenever there is a Good news or whenever my Heart weeps of misery, Manakula vinayagar temple is the first and foremost place that comes to my mind.

Ganesh Chathurthi, usually celebrated in the month of September, all over India, has always been one of my favorite festivals. All Indian festivals, coming to that, have always been favorite to me, because that is the time we get to enjoy new clothes n bhakshanams, These are the time we got holidays in those monotonous schooldays and are allfresh and evergreen in my memories. This is the time we really Thank God for making us a citizen of this Nation, where we find ‘Unity in diversity’. People of different religions also unite to enjoy such festivals with us and India is the only place we get to see this kismath. (fortune)

Some say, this day is Lord Ganesha‘ s Birthday and some say this is the day when He came and presented Himself on earth, for His Bhakthas. Anyhow, we youngsters found this day as a day to celebrate with the usual festival merriment and not to forget those modaks..

In south India, On this day, we wake up early and get busy with cleaning the house and pooja room after a refreshing bath. The pooja room is decorated with flowers n Maa kolam. Later we bring home Lord Ganesha’ s idol with an umbrella ontop being the highlight, and decorate Him with garments and flowers mala. On that day, delicious modaks (also known as Kozhakattais) and sundal are made and relished by the household after worshipping and offering to the Lord. Bhakshanams are also distributed to near by friends. I remember in those days, even though usual lunch is cooked comprising of sambar curry n payasam, we will not be in a mood to touch them as already our tummies are filled with those yummiliscious modaks n sundal.

Third day following the festival, (fifth day in some places and tenth day in some) Lord Ganesha is taken to the nearby temples and left there. Later all these idols are collected in trucks n bullock carts and taken to the sea and immersed in water. This is also again celebrated in a grand manner. All the guys in the local area take up the responsibility to farewell Ganesha and the procession is worthwatching.

Massive and huge idols which are placed in front of temples in various areas are brought to the sea and dropped in using those massive crane trucks. People all over, gather in the beach to watch this exhibit and enjoy the fun.

Maa kolam: is a Rangoli made with a thin batter made out of mixing rice flour and water. This again forms food for those tiny beings like ants etc..

Sundal: Channa dhal is soaked in water the previous night. Next morning, it is pressure cooked and seasoned with mustard seeds, urad dhal, curry leaves and dry red chillies.

Different types of Modaks: click here for Recipe.

Aarya z II Birthday

Hey, its been so long. Nice to get back to blogging again. Its Aarya z birthday and I cud nt just stay back sitting idle. Here am, Dedicating a cute li'l poem for my li'l Sonna, on his sec birthday..

Dear sonna,

A very Happy Birthday to u.
Two years back, this very same day,
U gave me all the pains in the world.
But the minute I held u in my arms,
All those pains had vanished into thin air.

I thank the Good Lord, for giving U, to me,
as a Blessing, as the very purpose of my life,
as my everything I ve on this world.

U will grow up into a big man some day.
U will outgrow my lap, But let me tell u,
u will never outgrow my heart.

There is nothing else in this world,
that can ever replace u.
U will always have a larger piece of my heart.
Love u forever.. MAY GOD BLESS YOU...

One fine sunday morning..

It was an Awesome Sunday morning all fresh and sunshine.. Felt like I was in full josh and good mood, so I decided to cook a Delicious yummy full course. (Rarely do I get this desire, for since after leaving the job, always kitchen and cooking... Oh! somedays makes me bored and declare 'No samayal day' at times)...

Since hubby dear had to work half day, he could come and join me in the afternoon. So I started with shuffling what I had in the pantry. There! Found a Readymade chicken Noodles soup, Hmm.. Not bad!

Starters is decided, now comes the full course. In the fridge I got one capsicum, some frozen peas and carrots. Decided on preparing Vegetable fried rice. Something fried and spicy would go well with the dish but Alas! I did nt ve any chicken left in the freezer, so I had to settle with the potatoes I had in the pantry. So potato fry, it was! I also found a piece of cucumber and onion and Dahi was always there, so a nice and effortless raitha.. Hmmm!

Ok, that done, now what do I do for the Dessert? Ah, there was a mango in the pantry and I found one apple too. There, I just peeled and cubed them and in the bowl, added two dollops of the Vanilla ice cream I had at home, and my Fruit salad was ready!!

I know you must be wondering, why is all the vegetables and fruits just one or two in number and above all, why is she bragging about her own cooking?? I will tell you why!

Since hubby has got a change in Project we are winding up things in USA and flying back to Homeland, We just decided to settle with whatever we had at home since it’s the last week, no more grocery shoppings!!

So now tell me friends, with so little in the fridge and a wiped down pantry, if am able to cook a great full course meal, Ain't I something Great??!!! What say you about my cullinary skills?!!! hehehe

samayal - Cookery

dahi - curd

Poem Aarya - Sorry!! at a loss of words...