Modak Recipe

Modak is an Indian sweet dish. It is a ball of dough which is filled with coconut and jaggery. Modak can be prepared with two methods, frying or steaming. The Hindus of India specially prepare this as an offering to Lord Ganesh. Its popularity is nearly equal among all age groups.

Maharashtra is the place of origin of Modak. Western and Southern India are its appropriate places from where it belongs. The people of different places know the recipe by different names like it is called modhaka in Karnataka, Kudumu in Andhra Pradesh, Kozhakkattai in Tamil Nadu and Modak in Marathi. At the time of Ganesh Chaturti every corner of India blossoms with the smell of Modak.

Ingredients

Following ingredients make the Modak:

For the outer covering:

• Rice flour (one and half cup)
• Water (two and half cups)
• Salt (a nip only)
• Oil (one table spoon)

For the inner filling :

• Grated fresh coconut (Two and half cups)
• Crumbled jaggery (two or two and half cups according to taste)
• Crushed cardamom or cardamom powder (one teaspoon)

How to make

For making modak, under described steps must be followed:

1. Take a deep pan.
   
   
2. Put the jaggery in it.
   
   
3. Now also add the grated coconuts.
   
   
4. Fire the stove.
   
   
5. Mix both well and keep stirring.
   
   
6. After few seconds you will find that jaggery will completely melt and start giving specific aroma along with coconut.
   
   
7. Do not cook it so much otherwise it will become hard. You need to make it dry only.
   
   
8. When you achieve the desired dryness, add cardamom powder in it.
   
   

Outer cover of Modak

1. Take a pan, pour water, oil and put salt in it.
   
   
2. Heat this mixture, slow down the flame when it is boiled. You should take out one boiled cup of water and put aside as you may need it afterwards if your mixture becomes too much dry.
   
   
3. Take off the pan from the stove and start adding rice flour. Add rice flour with one hand and stir with other. Stirring is important as it will avoid lumps. You can add more water if mixture becomes too dry and also add flour in case of watery solution.
   
   
4. To dry the mixture, put it on the flame and let it dry. Off the stove and remove the pan. Give it time to become lukewarm so that you could knead the dough.
   
   
5. Smear your hands with oil or water and make a ball of dough with your hands. Flat this dough ball and put jaggery in the center of it. Make the ball of it again keeping the jaggery mixture in the center.
   
   
6. Put all the modak in pressure cooker and steam them for 10 minutes. The process of steaming should be without whistles. If you are a beginner, you make break modak however it is not a problem as you will get command over this dish with practice.
   
   
7. Take them out and serve them at the event of celebration of Lord Ganesha.