Traditional ukadiche modak recipe for ganesh chaturthi

Modak is one of the most popular sweets prepared during Ganesh Chaturthi and is traditionally offered to Lord Ganesha as naivedya. Made with a soft rice flour covering and a sweet filling of fresh coconut and jaggery, steamed modaks are simple, aromatic and naturally rich in flavour. Cardamom adds a gentle fragrance, while poppy seeds provide a subtle texture to the filling. The key to making good modaks is preparing a smooth, pliable dough and cooking the coconut-jaggery mixture just enough to remove excess moisture. Once shaped, the modaks are steamed until the outer covering becomes soft, glossy and cooked through.

Ingredients

• Ghee 1 tsp

• Coconut Fresh 1 cup

• Jaggery 1 cup

• Cardamom powder ½ Tsp

• Water 1.5 cup

• Salt1/2 Tsp

• Rice flour 2 cup

• Poppy seeds 2 tsp

Preparation- STUFFING

• Grate the fresh Coconut & Jagger In two seprate Bowls and set aside

• In a pan take Ghee add poppy seeds Keep heat to a low. Fry for some seconds till the poppy seeds start crackling.

• Then add 1 cup grated fresh coconut (100 grams) and 1 cup chopped jaggery (200 grams).

• Mix well and cook this coconut-jaggery mixture on a low heat.

• The jaggery will melt first. Cook on a low heat and stir often.

• Stirring often cook this mixture till the moisture from the jaggery begins to dry – about 7 to 9 minutes. Switch off the heat.

• Don’t overcook as the jaggery then hardens. Keep this coconut-jaggery filling aside and let it cool completely. On cooling, the mixture will thicken more.

Make Rice Flour Dough

• In a pan add 1.5 cups water, ¼ teaspoon oil or ghee and ¼ teaspoon salt. Keep it on the stovetop. Let this mixture come to a boil.

• Add 1 cup rice flour (150 grams). You can use Homemade Rice Flour or packaged flour. Make sure the rice flour is fresh and within its shelf period

• Quickly stir and mix the rice flour with the water. Stir till all the rice flour is mixed with the water. Switch off the heat.

• Remove the pan from the burner and keep on the workplace. Cover the pan with a lid for 4 to 5 minutes.

• Now take all the dough in a plate or thali or in a bowl. Gather the dough together and begin to knead it.The dough will be hot when you begin to knead. So spread some water on your palms and knead the dough.

• If you feel the dough looks dense or hard or dry, then just add a few teaspoons of warm water and continue to knead.

• Take a ball and flatten it with your fingers or on your palms, to a round disc or a shallow bowl shape to a medium thickness.

You can apply ghee or oil in your palms, while flattening. You can keep the edges slightly thin and the center can be thick.

• Place a few teaspoons of the prepared stuffing in the center. . Press the edges . You can also press the edges first and then place the stuffing.

Bring together all the edges and join them. Remove the extra portion of the dough from the top, if any. Shape and taper the top of the modak with your fingers.

• Place the shaped modak in the greased pan with some space around them. Steam it for 12 to 15 minutes remove and serve hot with Ghee.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The Hans India