Ellu Kozhukattai or Til Modak Recipe – Easy and traditional Indian steamed rice flour dumplings stuffed with sweet sesame seed filling. An easy recipe for Ganesh Chaturthi or Vinayagar Chaturthi!
What is ellu kozhukattai?
Ellu Kozhukattai is a traditional and popular South indian steamed dumpling stuffed with sweet sesame seeds(ellu) filling. These are also known as Til Modak and Nuvvu Poornam Kudumulu.
These are usually made during an Indian festival called Ganesh Chaturthi / Vinayakaya Chavithi. However, these dumplings can be served as a sweet snack along with a cup of coffee or tea.
Few more kozhukattai recipes on the blog:
- Pottukadalai Kozhukattai
- Ulundu Kozhukattai
- Ammini Kozhukattai
- Sweet Rava Kozhukattai
- Sweet Ammini Kozhukattai
Ingredients & Substitutes:
Rice Flour – You will need a good quality rice flour for the outer layer. Both homemade and store-bought flour would work well.
Sesame Seeds – I have used raw white sesame seeds. You can also use store-bought roasted sesame seeds. If it is the case, skip roasting sesame seeds step.
Jaggery – You can get jaggery from any Indian grocery stores or online. If you can’t find it, replace it with the same quantity of brown sugar or cane sugar. I highly recommend jaggery in this recipe though.
Coconut – Use fresh or frozen coconut if possible. Omit it if you don’t have or swap it with desiccated coconut.
Ghee – Ghee is clarified butter and you will need a little bit of it. Swap it with sesame oil, coconut or sunflower oil.
Cardamom Powder
Storage & Make-Ahead:
The sesame seed filling can be made a day or two before and stored in the refrigerator. Make sure you make the dough on the same day you make the modaks.
The steamed modaks / kozhukattais stays fresh for couple of days if stored properly in the refrigerator.
Tips & Notes:
You will need to boil water really well to make a soft and smooth dough.
Knead rice flour dough well when it is still warm.
Make sure you cover the rice flour dough with a damp cloth if you are not shaping modak immediately.
Do not over cook the stuffed kozhukattai/modak to prevent them from breaking while steaming.
The outer layer should not be too thick or too thin.
You can also use a Modak Mould to make the beautiful modaks. You will get them from most of the Indian stores or online.
Step by step instructions:
Dry roast the raw sesame seeds on a low-medium flame until they are golden color. Skip this step if you are using roasted sesame seeds.
Take them out of the pan and let them cool completely.
Once they are cool, transfer them to a blender or mixie jar and grind to a coarse powder.
Add the powdered jaggery, coconut and cardamom powder to the ground sesame seeds and blend it again until combined.
Divide the ground mixture into 10-11 equal balls and set them aside.
Combine water, salt and ghee in a saucepan and bring it to a rolling boil. Remove from the flame.
Add boiling water to the rice flour little by little and mix with a spatula or spoon to make a soft dough.
Let it cool down for 2 minutes and knead it well to make a soft and slightly sticky dough.
Divide the dough into 10-11 equal size balls and keep them covered.
Grease your hands and flatten each rice flour dough ball and place the sesame filling in the middle. Bring the edges together to seal it.
Arrange them on a steamer or idli plate and steam cook for 10-12 minutes on a high flame.
Remove from the steamer and serve!
You’ll love these Ganesh Chaturthi Recipes:
How to make til modak recipe video below:
Ellu Kozhukattai Recipe or Sesame Modak Recipe
Ingredients
For Stuffing
- ¼ cup Sesame Seeds
- ¼ cup Jaggery
- 2 tbsp Grated Fresh Coconut
- A big pinch of Cardamom Powder
For Outer Layer
- ½ cup Rice Flour
- ½ cup Water
- ½ tsp Ghee
- A pinch of Salt
Instructions
- Dry roast the sesame seeds on a low – medium flame until golden color.
- Remove from the pan and let them cool completely.
- Grind the roasted sesame seeds into a coarse powder.
- Now add the powdered jaggery, coconut and cardamom powder to it and blend it again until combined.
- Divide the ground mixture into 10 small portions and set aside.
- Add water, salt and ghee in a saucepan. Bring the water to a rolling boil and turn off the flame.
- Take the rice flour in a mixing bowl and add the boiling water little by little. Mix it well with a spatula.
- Let it cool for 2 minutes. When it is still warm, knead it well to make a soft dough. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
- Divide the dough into round balls and keep them covered.
- Grease your hands with little oil or ghee and flatten the dough ball to form a disc.
- Place the sesame seeds stuffing in the center and bring the edges together to seal it.
- Place the prepared modaks on steaming plate or idli plate and steam cook them on a high flame for 10 – 12 minutes.
- Serve!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only.
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