Ganesh Chaturthi is finally here! In order to make the celebrations even more meaningful and exciting, follow us as we guide you into making Lord Ganesha’s most loved sweet ‘Modaks’. This typical Maharashtrian recipe is made from rice flour called ‘Ukadiche Modak’ in Marathi.
This is one of the most popular sweet dishes and is made during ‘Chovoth’. Ganeshotsav is one of the major festivals celebrated with fervour in certain parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka and all over Goa. Modaks are offered and served to Vinayaka as prasad, naivedya or bhog.
Here is the Modak recipe, of rice flour shells filled with a moreish mixture of jaggery and coconut.
While this appetizing delicacy is an inseparable part of Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, you can try and make it as often as you like with innovative recipes as it is a tasty treat for the whole family, especially the young ones who love chocolates with the chocolate modak recipe.
Preparation Time: 15 mins Cooking Time: 30 mins Total Time: 45 mins Makes 21 modaks
Ukadiche Modak
Ingredients
Parboiled rice – 1½ cups
Salt – just a pinch!
Pure Ghee – ½ tsp
For the stuffing/filling . . .
Fresh scraped ‘coconut’ – 1½ cups
Grated ‘jaggery’ – ¾ cup
A pinch of green ‘cardamom powder’
Method of Preparation
Preparing the filling:
- Combine scraped coconut and jaggery in a pan and
- Cook and stir on a low or medium flame for 1-2 minutes or till the mixture is light golden brown and add green cardamom powder.
[Ensure that it is not overcooked]
3. Keep it aside to cool.
Shaping the Modaks :
- Divide the dough into 10-12 lemon sized balls.
- Flatten each ball to form discs/circles with a diameter of 3-4 inches.
- Gently take the disc/circle on your palm and place a portion of the coconut and jaggery mixture in the center.
- Form 8-10 pleats with fingers; gather them together to form a bundle and seal.
- Steam them in an idli steamer for 10-12 mins or deep fry them.
- Serve hot modaks with pure ghee.
For those who love Chocolate here is a recipe of the not so traditional Modaks
Chocolate Modaks
Ingredients
Prep Time : 16-20 minutes
Cook time : 11-15 minutes
Serves : 10
- Grated chocolate – ½ cup
- Oil – 1 teaspoon
- A pinch of salt !
For the Filling
- Chocolate syrup – ¼ cup
- Rice flour – 1 cup
- Desiccated coconut ¾ cup
PREPARATION
- For the stuffing, mix together the coconut, chocolate syrup and grated chocolate and divide into eight equal portions.
- Grease your palms, and spread one portion of the dough into a round disc, thinning the edges with your fingertips.
- Place the modaks on a perforated plate and steam in a pressure cooker, with the lid on but without the weight, for 10 to 12 minutes.
Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to all our readers. Make and enjoy these sumptuous Modaks as Lord Ganesha does!
