Ganesha's Faourite Food Recipes - Modak

Modak

Modak is a famous Indian sweet, prepared especially on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. It is known as Lord Ganesha's favorite sweet. Thus, majority of the people consider it a must to make Modak on the very first day of Ganesh Chaturthi. The celebrations are regarded incomplete without Modak, a sweet that is greatly associated to Ganesh Chaturthi. It is a special dish that is offered to the Lord, on his birthday. So, enjoy the festive season by preparing the delicacy. Given below is the recipe of Modak, detailing the required ingredients as well as the method of preparation.

Modak Recipe

Ingredients

•     3 cups Rice Flour
•     6 cups Water
•     6 tsp Oil
•     4 cups Grated Coconut
•     2 cups Sugar or Powdered Jaggery
•     A little Milk

Method

•     Bring the water to a boil and add oil into it for the outer covering. Take off heat.
•     Now add the rice flour, little by little to avoid lumps and cover the mixture and let it cool.
•     When cool, knead it well into dough with a smooth finish in such a way that it should sparkle.
•     Now take the coconut and Jaggery / sugar in a heavy-bottomed pan for the stuffing. Add milk.
•  Keep on low flame with stirring. Stir and take off heat.
•     The mixture should be fairly dry and turn a shade darker. Now make balls with the (covering) dough.
•     Flatten them on the palm or on a surface into a circle. Place the stuffing in it and cover it completely with the dough.
•     Fold the edges tapering to the centre. Now steam-cook the modaks in a cooker for 15 minutes until done.

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice flour (chawal ka atta)
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp oil
• oil for greasing
• a pinch of salt
• For the filling
• 1 cup grated jaggery (gur)
• 1 cup grated fresh coconut
• 1/2 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
• 1 1/2 tbsp ghee

Method

•     For the filling, in a non-stick pan, add grated coconut and jaggery and cook over a slow flame till the jaggery melts and the mixture comes together. Add the cardamom powder and mix well.
•     In another non-stick pan boil the water. Add 1 teaspoon oil and a little salt in the boiling water and stir. Reduce the flame, add the rice flour while stirring continuously.
•     Whisk well so that no lumps remain. Cover with a lid and keep aside for about 5 minutes.
•     Grease your palms with a little oil and knead the dough while it is still warm; if the dough cools it will get lumpy, if it is not kneaded. You could even use a hand blender to knead the dough.
•     Make even size small balls of the dough (2 inch in diameter) using oil. Then roll each of them into a round shape, 3½" in diameter.
•     Make 8 to 10 folds in rolled dough with 1 cm. distance in between. To make a fold pinch the outer line of rolled dough a little bit ahead making 1-2 mm thick fold.
•     Add a spoonful of the filling into the dough.
•     Bring all the ends together and press to seal. Prepare a steamer by adding water, a teaspoon of oil and heat it till the water comes to a boil. While the water is simmering, place the modaks on a greased steamer plate and steam for 6 to7 minutes.
•     Once the modaks are cooked they will turn translucent. Serve hot drizzled with pure ghee.