Pillayarpatti Kozhukattai

Kozhukatta or Kozhukkattai is a popular South Indian sweet dumpling made from rice flour, with a filling of grated coconut and jaggery, and is similar to Modak made in other parts of India. 

Pillaiyar patti Pillaiyar temple is an ancient rock-cut cave shrine dedicated to Ganesha, located at Thiruppatthur, Sivaganga district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.The Agama texts found on stones in the temple help date the temple between the years 1091 and 1238. A unique Tamil image of Pillaiyar found in the temple helps to verify this dating. The presiding deity of the temple is Karpaka Vinayakar or Desi Vinayaka Pillaiyar.

The Ganesh Chaturthi / Vinayaka Chaturthi festival, is celebrated for 10 days in a grand manner every year during the months of August and September. During that time, great numbers of pilgrims gather and participate in the Car Festival. Like all Shaivite temples, Pillayarpatti temple also has Lord Shiva as its presiding deity. The lord's name is Arjunapureeswarar. This temple is most famous for the rock cut Vinayagar (Ganesha) sitting majestically inside a cave. Pillayarpatti modhagam is ditributed to devotees as prasadham.

Now lets prepare Pilayarpatti kozhukattai at home.

                          

                            Pillayarpatti Kozhukattai recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category: Sweet
Prep Time:10 mins    |  Cook time: 10 mins     |  Serves:2

Ingredients

Raw Rice  - 1 cup

Moong dhall - 1/4 cup

Salt - needed

Jageery - 1 cup

Water - 2 1/2 cups

Desicated coconut - 1/4 cup

Cardamon Powder - 1/4 tsp

Ghee - 3 tbsp

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 Method:

• First soak the raw rice in water for 1 hour and dry it on a cotton cloth and when its 3/4th dried up, grind it into a coarse powder in a mixer and set aside.
  
• Next roast the dhall in an empty pan until nice aroma rises up and grind it into a coarse powder.
  
• Take a heavy bottomed vessel, add water and when it boils well add the rice-dhall powder and mix well: Allow it to get cooked well in a low flame.
  
• Meantime prepare jaggey syrup, by adding jaggery to 1/2 cup water. When all the jaggery gets dissolved, Strain it for impurities and again heat it. Add cardamon powder and coconut and boil it for 2 minutes.
  
• Now the rice is cooked well and all water absorbed.
  
• Add this jaggery mixture to it and mix well. Add ghee to the sides to allow it to form into a smooth dough.
  
• Keep mixing until a non-sticky dough is formed. Now switch off the flame and when the heat is bearable to ur hands make balls out of it. The forms can be modhagam shaped or in balls or pidi shaped.
• Place the balls in greased idly plates and steam cook it for 10- 12 minutes.
  
• Serve it when hot!!