Modak – Ganapati's favourite Sweet

 

 




 

  


 

  


 



  


 

Recipe Of Modak

 

Know how to make the tasty Modaks, the Maharashtra sweet delight this season. Modaks can be prepared on all the auspicious occasions as it is the favorite of lord Ganesh. This recipe doesn't take a long to prepare and has no complicated method. Take a look at how to go about with the Modak recipe.

Steamed Modak Recipe – Maharashtra Special

Ingredients:
1. 1 cup rice flour
2. 1 cup water
3. 1 cup jaggery (powdered)
4. 1 cup fresh coconut

(grated)
5. 2 tsps poppy seeds
6. Salt to taste 


Steamed Modak Preparation:

1. Fry poppy seeds dry and mix with jaggery and coconut.
2. Add the mixture to a pan and stir constantly.
3. Make small balls of the mixture.
4. In another pan, boil water and add rice flour, salt and stir well (dough consistency).
5. Knead the dough well and roll into small circular discs.
6. Stuff the filling and cover it like momos.
7. Steam the sweet momos for 15-20 minutes. Tasty steamed modaks ready to serve.
Savor the delicious steamed modaks with ghee.

 

Modak

Ingredients

Pastry for modak :

1 cup  rice flour
1 teaspoon ghee
A pinch salt
1 3/4 cup  water

For filling :

1 cup  coconut , grated
150 g jaggery
1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
50 g raisins

Method

To prepare modak filling :

Grate the coconut fine.

In a thick bottomed pan on a gentle flame , add softened jaggery . When it has been dissolved , add raisins , coconut and cardamom powder. Cook until the mixture is semi - dry . Keep aside and use as a filling.

To prepare pastry for modak :

Bring water to a boil then add the ghee and salt.

Whisk in the rice flour ( It is preferable to place a tawa under the dish to prevent the mixture from burning ) then cover the vessel and cook the mixture on a low heat till you see steam coming out of the pan. It should take about 10 minutes.

Turn out the mixture onto a plate and knead it while still hot.

Take a small piece of paste on a lightly greased palm , make a circle and place a bit of filling in the centre.

Then using your thumb , index and middle fingers pull up the side and let it taper to the top.

Seal it by pressing the top lightly.

Steam it in steamer / pressure cooker , which has been lightly greased for 10 minutes.

Photo credit - Jetwings

Sweet Shakkarappara & Rice Chakli

Masala Chivda & Ajwain Puri

Rice Chakli

Serves : 6
Time required : 40 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups ( 240 g ) rice flour
1/2 cup ( 110 g ) curd
4 tablespoon ( 60 ml ) thick cream
2 tablespoon ( 30 g ) sesame seeds
1 teaspoon ( 5 g ) cumin ( jeera ) seeds
1 teaspoon ( 5 g ) ginger - green chili paste
1 teaspoon ( 5 g ) chilli powder
1/4 teaspoon ( 1 g ) turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method

Put all the ingredients, except oil , in a vessel. Mix well and add enough water to bind to a dough of piping consistency.

Put the dough in a chakli machine and press out spiral circles on a piece of paper.

Heat oil in a kadai and fry till golden brown. Store in an airtight jar.

Sweet Shakkarappara

Serves : 8
Time required : 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups ( 250 g ) flour
1/2 cup ( 120 ml ) milk
1/2 cup ( 100 g ) sugar
2 tablespoon 9 30 g ) sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon ( 2 g ) salt
4 tablespoon ( 60 ml ) ghee
Oil for deep frying

Method

Warm milk. Add ghee and sugar and stir till well dissolved.

Add this mixture to the flour and bind to a hard dough. Add sesame seeds.

Knead well and divide the dough into large balls. Roll out into thick chapatis. Cut into small diamond shaped pieces.

Deep fry in hot oil till light brown in color and crisp.

Remove the deep fried shakkarapparas on an absorbent paper to remove excess of oil. Store in an airtight container.

Ajwain Puri

Serves : 5
Time required : 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup ( 200 g ) rawa
1 cup ( 125 g ) flour
2 teaspoon ( 10 g ) ajwain
1/4 teaspoon ( 1 g ) turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1/4 cup ( 55 g ) ghee , melted
Water for mixing
Oil for frying

Method

Mix flour, rawa and ajwain well. Add turmeric powder , salt and melted ghee. Mix well.

Add enough water to bind to a hard dough. Keep aside for at least 15 minutes.

Knead well with a little oil . Divide the dough into small portions. Roll into tiny balls and roll out thick round puris.

Deep fry the puris in hot oil till light brown in color , puffed and crisp.

Masala Chivda

Serves : 6
Time required : 20 minutes

Ingredients

300 g thick flattened rice ( poha )
1/2 cup ( 125 g ) ground nuts
1/4 cup ( 65 g ) roasted gram dal
A few slices of dry coconut
3 - 4 green chillies, cut into long pieces
1 teaspoon ( 5 g ) chilli powder
1/4 teaspoon ( 1 g )turmeric powder
A few curry leaves
Salt and powdered sugar to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan and deep fry the poha. Take out on an absorbent paper to draw out excess oil.

Heat some more oil in the pan , add ground nuts and gram dal , and fry them to a light brown color. Add to the fried poha.

Add green chillies and fry for two minutes. Then add the curry leaves and continue to fry till green chillies and curry leaves are crisp. Add them to the fried poha.

Add little more oil and saute the dry coconut slices until light brown. Remove them from oil and add to the poha.

Add salt , powdered sugar, turmeric powder and chilli powder to the poha and mix well.

Store in an airtight jar and serve as a tea time snack.

Tip : Can add fried cashew nuts , almonds and raisins to the chivda along with the fried groundnuts and gram dal.

 

Ganesh Chaturthi Recipes

 

Bhoondhi Ladoo Recipe

                 

Ingredients

1 cup Channa Besan
(make sure it should not have clumps.)
1 Tsp Rice Flour
Salt 1 pinch
8-10 Cashews
8-10 Raisins
4-5 Cloves
Orange colour
4 tbsp Ghee.
8-10 Elaichi (powdered)
Oil for frying

Method

Mix channa besan, rice flour, pinch of orange colour and salt with water. (the
consistency should be like dosa mix so that it should be easy to make boondi)
Heat oil in a frying pan. In the mean time in a pan heat 3/4 cup of water. Bring it to
boil. Then add 1 3/4 of sugar. Put it in medium heat to make the sugar syrup.
(Care should be taken that the sugar syrup is not over done. Using a spoon take few
drops of sugar syrup, when you pour it from the spoon the last drop of the syrup
should form a thin continuous line. If it doesn't keep it for boiling for another 2 minutes.)
When the oil is heated up, using a cup pour the mix little by little on a perforated spoon
to make boondi. Fry it for 3 minutes. Continue with the remaining mix. In a heated pan
add 1 tbsp of ghee and fry cloves and cashews. Keep it aside.
Once the boondies are done put it in a vessel and smash 1/4 of boondi with a spoon
then add the sugar syrup, raisins, fried cashews , cloves, powdered elaichi and the
remaining ghee.
Make it into a ball (even when it is hot.)
For making Sugar Syrup
Sugar - 1 3/4 cup
Water - 3/4 cup 

Kaju Burfi Recipe

     

Ingredients

150 gm cashewnuts
400 gm sugar
elaichi powdered
silver foil (optional)
500 gm khoya

Method

Dry grind the cashew
Mix khoya (grated) and sugar
Heat in a heavy pan, stirring continuously.
Once the sugar dissolves, add the cashew (powdered) and elaichi
Cooking, constantly stir till soft lump is formed and does not stick to sides
Roll on a flat surface to desired thickness and apply silver foil. 

Doodh Peda Recipe                Ingredients


 

2 cups of Milk Powder
3 tbsp of unsalted butter
1/2 cup milk - sufficient enough to make a soft dough
1/2 cup sugar + 1/2 cup water
3 or 4 cardamom (powdered or crushed)
1 tbsp pista crushed

Method

Mix butter and milk powder, and add milk to make a soft dough.
Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Take out the dough after 15 minutes and crumble it with your finger breaking all the
lumps.
Make sugar syrup of one strand and put the crumbled dough and keep stirring till it
starts leaving the pan.
Remove it when it starts leaving the pan and cool it lightly.
Make small balls and flatten it into a shape of Peda and decorate it with cardamom
and pista powder on the top. 

Sheera Recipe


 

Ingredients

1 cup Rava or Suji
1 cup Sugar
4 cups Water
1/2 cup or more Ghee for roasting suji
1/4 cup sliced Almonds and Cashews
Some Raisins (optional)

Method

Roast rava in ghee until ghee leaves and rava turns light brown.
Add Sugar and water and raisins (optional). Keep stirring till thick.
Add almonds and cashews. Serve hot. 

Rava Ladoo Recipe

 

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups Rava/ Sooji
3 cups Sugar
10-12 Elaichi's powder
1 cup Water
1 small cup Dry Coconut
2 tbsp Ghee

Method

Cook sugar and water on medium gas till it forms a good syrup.
On other side heat 2 tbsp ghee in a pan.
Add rava in it and fry till rava becomes slightly brown and it leaves good aroma.
Then mix Elaichi powder and dry coconut in it.
Mix well and cook for more 2 minutes.
Then remove the rava in a big plate. Add Sugar syrup to it and mix well.
Let it cool properly. It may take about half an hour.
Keep stirring in between.
When mixture becomes quite thick make ladoos.
And your tasty Ladoos are ready. You can make about 25 ladoos. 



 

Other delicious recipies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ukadiche Modak Recipe

Ukadiche Modak

Ganapati festival feast is synonymous with Modak. Lord Ganesha’s favourite food…Taste it and you know why!!!

Majority of the households in Maharashtra make these beautifully shaped (the shape can only be called as-Modak shape, no other shape describes it better!!) mouthwatering Modak during Ganesh festival

I have very fond memories associated with Modak. When I was at my mom’s place ,on Ganesh Chaturthi (first day of Ganesh festival) my Mom would make the dough for the Modaks and since it has to be shaped and filled when hot, we all -my father, brother and myself- would help her make the Modaks.It was a fun family activity! I have this beautifal picture embedded in my memory forever!

To make about 10-12 Modaks:(Recipe source…obviously my Mom)

Ingredients:
For the cover:

1 cup fine , fresh Rice flour

1 cup water

¼ tsp salt

2 tsp oil

For the filling:
 

1 cup freshly scrapped Coconut-only the white portion

1 cup crushed jaggery

2 tsp Khuskhus (poppy seeds) roasted

Method:
 First make the Stuffing. Put the Coconut and jaggery in a heavy bottom pan and cook on medium flame, stiriing in between. Cook till the jaggery melts and the mixture becomes homogenous. Add the roasted poppy seeds and cook for few more minutes.Remove from heat and allow it to cool.


 

(You can also add raisins, saffron and cardamom to the mixture if you like.)

Now make the rice flour cover.The cover has to be made a bit carefully. So keep aside all your other jobs and take 1 cup water in a pan and boil it. Once it boils add salt and oil to it . Add the rice flour immediately with one hand and stirring the mixture continuously with the other.Take care that no lumps are formed in the mixture.Cover for 1-2 minutes. Remove the dough on a flat surface and knead well with your hands while still hot…You can apply a little oil  to your hands to avoid the dough from sticking.

This is a very important step. You have to knead the dough properly to avoid the cover from cracking. Now take a small lemon sized ball from the dough and keep the remaining dough covered with a cotton cloth in the pan.(The remaining dough should not be allowed to cool)…This is where extra help is welcome…

Flatten the small ball shaped dough with both your hands like a puri.Don’t make it too thin. Now hold the flat dough in your left hand and add the coconut stuffing.Apply little oil to your right hand and pinch the edges of the flattened dough at 4-5 places,like this:

  

Bring them together to join them at the centre of the Modak. Shape resembles that of garlic bulb from top(I am not supposed to say garlic,especially since the Modaks are made for God…but I couldn’t find any other analogy!!)

Repeat this prpcess for the remaining dough and make more Modaks before the dough cools down. If you are alone you can guess how fast you have to make it!!!

After all the Modaks have been made steam them.Take a steel sieve.Grease it with oil. Keep the Modaks one by one in it taking care that they do not stick to each other.

Keep this sieve on a steamer(You can use a deep vessel with 1/3rd water.) Cover the Modaks and cook for about 12-13 minutes.

Congrats..You have just made one of the most delicious ,traditional Maharashtrian Sweet!

Top each hot steaming Modak with Ghee generously ( You will need the ghee after all the hard work.) Offer them to God….and don’t waste any time putting the entire Modak in your mouth…Blissful isn’t it…Worth the effort??? Of course it is!!!

Another recipe

Ukadiche Modak are my absolute favourite things to eat in this universe! The maxim of 'no gain without pain' holds 100% with regards to preparing them. The bliss of eating modaks you have had a hand in preparing is unparalleled. Modaks are Lord Ganesha's favourite eatable, not without reason, and so they are usually made during the Ganapati festival. The bland english name is sweet steamed rice dumplings - nowhere near justice. As with most sinful things, don't bother if you are going to worry about calories.
Amazing ukadiche modak to be eaten with loads of pure desi ghee. The first target is one dozen. Read on for the photo recipe.

Lots of nice fresh coconuts	My messy grating. Don't grate too much, take only the whites
Grate loads of jaggery	Condiments - Nutmeg (Zayphal) powder, Cardamom powder, Saffron, Kismis
Grated jaggery and coconut - ratio 2.5:4	Cook over slow flame till watering and you get consistent final 'saaraN'
Add condiments and this is 'saaraN'. This can be stored for later in a fridge	For the riceflour dough boil 3 units water and 1 unit milk. While boiling add 4 tbsp oil.
The real thing, riceflour. Sakas's Modak special works very well :)	Add in 4 units riceflour and a bit of salt to the boiling water+milk+oil. Do NOT stir. Poke holes, cover securely and let it steam in it's own heat. The proportions above and here need to be exact.
Take the above 'ukad' and knead into a dough. The more you break your back and knead, the matter. Crush all globules of course. Do not use too much water. Make flat round puris, add in generous amounts of saaraN, and fold into the traditional shape	The traditional shape. There are moulds available for consistent size and shape. But this is more fun. Keep the edges of the puris thin and consistent
The cooking apparatus. A large vessel 1/3rd filled with water and a thin cloth covering the mouth tied with a string. Start boiling the water while the dough is being made into the raw modaks	Place raw modaks on the cloth, dipping the base in water. Cover with a vessel and steam for 15 minutes
Get out the banana leaf, hope someone else has made a few other items and taste changers :). You will need these to achieve the one dozen modak aim

Decorative modak