Modak is a modak is a modak, but not the mawa moulded in modak shape

Many would snigger at food posts as much as the saree posts. Nevertheless, for me food, textiles are all part of the glorious cultural tradition, to be talked about and cherished.

It is only when I started visiting temples in the North, a few homes in Mumbai during festivals, I started seeing the phenomenon of buying food from the restaurants and sweet shops for Naivedhyam, Thiruvamudhu in the Sri Vaishnava parlance.

Sri Vaishnava temples in the south have families who have been in the service of the God as hereditary cooks and only they can make food in the Thiru Madapallis even today. Even at home, in south India as far as I know even today Naivedhyam has to be prepared afresh and not bought. If one isn't able to cook, offering of fruits, milk, butter would do.

More than buying Naivedhyam, I was saddened by the thought a distinct bhog for Ganesha, the kozhukattai or modak, remained so only in shape and not in its substance. Call us “exclusive”, but kozhukattais are not made generally in Sri Vaishnava homes. My grandmothers never made them, though as long as my grandfather was alive we used to bring Pillayar home. There is a side story to this.

My grandmother in some sense was more strict than grandfather, when it came to ‘aacharam’. He was fond of Ganesha and wouldn’t miss a chance to stop by at the Pillayar koil on the way, opposite the government hospital at Sholingur or the muchchandi Pillayar koil at Arakkonam. He was always subjected to sarcastic remarks by paatti for that. Till one day appa found out during a Nadi Josiyam session that thaatha was in his earlier janam a Pillayar koil priest.

Coming back to kozhukattai, I got the taste of it very late in my life, when we had some Iyer tenants at home, and later from some friends. Amma learnt to make them from a tenant too.

But, my first brush with it was in 1996, when I invited a few colleagues home for lunch on Ganesh Chathurthi and decided to make Kozhukattais. Anu’s amma was consulted and I started – but my inexperience showed, and I struggled. Luckily Kamini, my friend stepped in and helped me bring them out in some shape.

Since then I never miss a chance to make them on Ganesh Chathurthi whenever I can. I still haven’t got the mel maavu pakkuvam. But, I haven’t given up. It is a nice culinary legacy to carry forward. If we have a holiday on Chathurthi, I think we should make use of it and create a few Modaks. Modakis as much a symbolic food …. wish like Ramana Maharishi’s ‘Appalam Ittu Paaru’ someone would give an undistilled Advaita through a song on Kozhukattais.

This year, I was inspired by Manju, her beautiful Samagni website is a must follow – an artistic expression of fine food tradition she carries forward in them. I am an “inclusive” Iyengar :) …
I was especially fascinated by the simple Ammini Kozhukattais – the rice atta mixed into steaming hot water, rolled into mini balls, steam cooked and seasoned with mustard, urad dal, chillies and coconut. This is made when the kids start teething and given as something to satisfy their urge to bite. Amma used to tell me about a similar ones called Chimli urundais made for the same purpose, but they are fried.

Forget Farex and Cerelac, try them and enjoy the Ammini kozhukattais and Chimli urundais to make life interesting. Resist going to Brijwasis or Grand Sweets for the next festival….try your hand at something. Maybe one festival in a year we can pick and choose to stick to making Prasad with our own hands. But, don’t say you will choose Ram Navami. :)

photo credit: Samagni https://samagni.com/2009/08/23/modakam-sweet-dumplings/