FRIED MODAK / FRIED MOTHAGAM - with Maida / All purpose flour

It was in my last for last year Chaturthi, somehow I could not do it!  It is a deep fried modak with jaggery, channa dal and coconut stuffing.  It is very crispy outside and sweet chewy inside.  I thought it will not turn out that good, but it was awesome.  I was little scared that the modak will open up and all the pooranam will come out.  Luckily,  it was super cool modak and delicious.   Kids just loved it.

INGREDIENTS:

Maida / All purpose flour - 1 cup
Oil                                     - 2 tsp ( I used coconut oil)
Water                                 - as needed
Oil                                     - for deep frying

For Stuffing:

Channa dal               - 1/2 cup
Jaggery                    - 1/2 cup
Grated coconut        -  1/4
Cardamom powder  - a generous pinch

HOW TO MAKE:

Pressure cook channa dal with  1 1/2 cup water.  Allow 3 to 4 whistles.  Drain the water and allow to cool down.  Once it is cooled down use blender / mixie and give a gentle stroke to make a coarse powder.  Take that in a bowl and add jaggery powder, grated coconut and cardamom powder.  Mix well by hands and make sure that all the ingredients blended well.

Make a small balls out of it and keep aside.  In a bowl take maida / all purpose flour and make a fine dough by adding water little by little.  Add 2 tsp of coconut oil to make non sticky dough as shown in the picture.  This is called pooranam! 

Make a small lemon sized balls out of it.  Place a ball on the clean surface and make a medium circle by using rollbin.  The circle can be neither thick nor too thin.  Place one pooranam in the center of the circle and grab the edge as shown in the picture.  Start grabbing the edges and bring all of them in the center like the picture below.   

Make everything and keep aside.  Heat oil in a kadai for frying.  Drop the modak one by one and add bunches depends on the kadai capacity.  Flip often and fry till it turn golden brown.  

Drain them in the paper towel! 

TIPS:

For pooran adding ingredients are absolutely your choice.

Instead deep frying shallow frying can be done too.