UKADICHE MODAK

Ganesh Chaturthi, a festival celebrated almost everywhere in Western India is also a time to indulge your sweet tooth. To welcome Lord Ganesha, we prepare laddoos, modaks, puran poli, kheer and other delicacies. The most famous of them all is Ukadiche Modak- A sweet rice flour dumpling filled with saran which is prepared with coconut and jaggery as main ingredients. Served hot with a generous amount of sajuk toop / pure home made ghee. Modak is Lord Ganesha’s most favourite food. That’s why it is offered to him as Prasad / Naivedya during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. Ukadiche is the Marathi word meaning steamed. Shaping part is very time consuming and messy task. Here I shared the shaping of modak with the help of mold. As I am a beginner[only for ukadiche modak], I tried them with mold only because I don’t want to take a risk of breaking the outer shell. It is also helpful if you are short on time. It doesn’t require that much time compared to shaping by hand. I promise I will try it without mould and share it as soon as possible. Pleating and shaping them by hand needs practice, patience and expertise. I want beautiful looking modak so tried it with mold, if you do not care for the look then try to shape it by hands.

📌📌 Watch the full video recipe here 📌📌

INGREDIENTS:

For Cover / Ukkad:

1 Cup Rice Flour

2 tablespoon Sabudana Flour 

1 ½ Cup Water

A Pinch Salt

1 teaspoon Ghee

For Stuffing:

1 tablespoon Ghee

½ Cup Grated Jaggery

1 Cup Grated Fresh Coconut

1 teaspoon Poppy Seeds

1 teaspoon Sesame Seeds ( optional )

¼ teaspoon Cardamom Powder

¼ teaspoon Nutmeg Powder

2 tablespoon chopped Nuts ( optional )

METHOD:

Preparing Rice Dough:

STEP 1 – Place a sauce pan on medium heat. Add water in it with ghee and salt. Bring it to boil.

STEP 2 – Add rice flour and give a nice mix using a spatula. Make sure that there are no lumps.

STEP 3 – Cover it and cook for 2-3 minutes. Do stir once or twice in between. Switch off the flame and let it rest for 8-10 minutes.

Preparing the Stuffing:

STEP 1 – For preparing the stuffing, heat another non-stick pan on medium flame with ghee.

STEP 2 – Add poppy seeds and let them crackle.

STEP 3 – If using sesame seeds, add now and sauté for 10-15 seconds .[I did not used sesame seeds]

STEP 4 – Add jaggery with grated fresh coconut and mix well.

STEP 5 – Jaggery will melt first but when the moisture evaporates mixture will become dry. It took approximately 3-4 minutes. [see notes]

STEP 6 - When the moisture evaporates, switch off the flame and add cardamom and nutmeg powder in it and mix well.

STEP 7 – Remove it in a plate or bowl and let the mixture cool down.

Shaping Modak:

STEP 1 – Transfer the rice mixture in a plate when it is still warm. Start kneading it with 1-2 teaspoon luke warm water if needed. Make sure that the dough should not be sticky.

STEP 2 – Divide the dough in equal size balls and keep them aside.

STEP 3 – Grease the inside of the modak mould with ghee and keep aside.

STEP 4 – Take one ball, put it in modak mould and press it tightly and make the hollow center.

STEP 5 – Stuff in 1 teaspoon / as required filling in it, using your finger press the stuffing inside and seal the bottom. Do not use too much stuffing otherwise modak will break while steaming.

STEP 6 – Heat a steamer with water in it. Grease the steamer plate with some oil / ghee. Keep aside.

STEP 7 - Make all modak with the remaining dough likewise. Keep it covered while you shape the rest.

STEP 8 – Bring the water to boil in the steamer. Keep modak in plate and 

steam them for about 12-15 minutes on low heat.

STEP 9 – Let the heat release, remove modak from steamer and drizzle ghee on the top. [see notes]

Modak are ready to offer to Lord Ganesha. 

NOTES: *Make sure that you do not overcook the jaggery mixture otherwise it may harden the mixture and you will not be able to stuff it.

               *Ghee on the top of hot modak enhances the flavour and also makes them aromatic.