When I was planning to share some kozhukattai varieties for Ganesh chaturthi, I came across this sugar free, dry fruits kozhukattai recipe using dates and nuts. The stuffing/ pooranam for this kozhukattai is prepared without jaggery and sugar. So this kolukattai recipe would be ideal for people who look for healthy options. Dry fruits pooranam is easy to make too. Just roast and grind, stuffing would be ready in minutes.

In North India, people make dry fruits and nuts modak by shaping it directly using a modak mould instead of stuffing in the kozhukattai dough. Its a no cook version. They call it as Khajoor modak. I made one and shared the picture below. So, you can make this kozhukattai without cooking or by stuffing in the kozhukattai maavu as shown in the description with pictures. Choice is yours.

Ok, lets see how to make easy, healthy dry fruits and nuts kozhukattai for this Vinayagar chaturthi festival with step by step pictures.

Below is the picture of dry fruits and nuts modak without stuffing in rice flour dough. You can eat this as such without steaming / cooking.

Dry fruits kozhukattai / Dates and nuts kozhukattai

Dry fruits kozhukattai without jaggery and sugar for Ganesh chaturthi festival

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Sweet

Serves: 6

Prep time: 20 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time:40 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

For Stuffing/ Pooranam

Mixed nuts (Cashews, badam, pista) - 15 each
Seedless dates - 20
Ghee - 1 tsp

For modak / kozhukattai dough

Store bought Kozhukattai flour or idiyappam flour - 1 cup
Water - as needed
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Gingely oil - 1/2 tsp

HOW TO MAKE DRY FRUITS KOZHUKATTAI

Heat 1 tsp ghee in a kadai. Roast the nuts till golden. Grind coarsely.
Collect in a plate. In the same kadai, roast the dates and cool down.
Grind to a smooth paste without adding water. Add the paste to the ground nuts.
Mix well to make the dry fruits pooranam. Make small balls and set aside.
To make kozhukattai dough, roll boil 2 cups of water adding few drops of gingely oil.
Take the store bought idiyappam / kozhukattai flour in a wide bowl. Add salt and mix well.
Add the water gradually. Mix with a ladle. Cover and rest for 5 minutes to become warm.
Knead it well using greased hands. Make a smooth dough.
Take a ball shaped dough. Shape it using a modak mould.
Keep one dry fruits ball in the center of mould and cover the kozhukattai with the dough.
Remove the kozhukattai gently and steam in a greased idli plate.
Kozhukattai becomes shiny after cooking. Switch off the flame.
Rest for 10 minutes. Remove the modak and serve hot !

METHOD - STEP BY STEP PICTURES

Heat 1 tsp ghee in a kadai. Roast the nuts in medium flame till slight golden in color. Cool down and grind to a coarse powder. Remove in a plate.
In the same kadai, roast the dates. Cool down and grind to a paste without adding water.
Mix the dates paste with powdered nuts. Dry fruits stuffing / pooranam is ready. Make big gooseberry sized balls for stuffing the dough and set aside.
This modak can be prepared in two ways. One is a no cook version. To make this, take a portion of stuffing and press it in the modak mould to shape it. Remove gently and keep in a plate. Follow the same for the remaining stuffing. You don’t have to steam this modak. You can serve and eat as such.
For the second version, make kozhukattai dough with store bought kozhukattai or idiyappam flour. To prepare kozhukattai dough, roll boil 2 cups of water adding 1/2 tsp of gingely oil.
Take the store bought rice flour in a wide bowl. Add little salt and mix well. Add hot water gradually and make a smooth, non-sticky dough. Cover and rest for 5 minutes to become warm. Grease your hands with oil and knead the dough for few minutes.
Cover the dough with a wet cloth to prevent drying. Now take the kozhukattai achu/ modak mould and grease with oil. Take ball shaped dough and press it inside the mould to spread it well. Make a dent in the center and place a dry fruits stuffing ball.
Take a small portion of dough and cover the stuffing. Press it well and open the mould. Remove the kozhukattai gently. Arrange in a greased idli plate.
Make the remaining kozhukattai in the same way and arrange in the plate. Roll boil water in an idli pot. Place the idli plate with kozhukattai and cover with the lid. Steam it for 10 minutes in high flame and switch off the flame.
Do not remove the kozhukattai when hot. It will break. Rest it in the idli plate for 5 minutes and then remove it gently. Offer to God and enjoy !

Note

Sweetness of dates is enough for the stuffing. So I didn’t add jaggery or sugar. You can add it based on your taste.
If you need more yield for the stuffing, add 1/2 cup of grated and roasted coconut to the nuts. In that case, add more dates for adjusting the sweetness.
I have not used cardamom here. You can add if you like.

Try this healthy dry fruits kozhukattai recipe and enjoy !