kalpana’s la cucina..... spice 4 all seasons: COLOURFUL UKADICHE / STEAMED MODAK

_________________I am Mrs. Kalpana Mhaske, a Home-Maker, from the city of 52-Gates, one of the famous heritage- destination of the world- Ajanta - Ellora Caves, Bibi-Ka- Maqbara (The Taj of Deccan) and Deogiri Fort. i.e. AURANGABAD. I admire cooking - tryout and innovate different cuisines. Basically, both of my gorgeous daughters are foodie, they have always encouraged me in the kitchen and forced to carve a Food Blog, that’s why, I am happy to share the makings with you. I am an artist too. Painting – especially, Canvas-Painting is my one more hobby. In total - Ours is an ART-FAMILY, my husband is an Architect. In the end, I keep the same belief with Louise Fresco - “ Food, in the end, in our own tradition, is something holy. It's not about nutrients and calories. It's about sharing. It’s about honesty. it’s about identity ”

Thursday, 20 August 2020

COLOURFUL UKADICHE / STEAMED MODAK

Ganesh Chaturthi [also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi] is the Hindu festival celebrated in honur of the elephant-headed god, Lord Ganesha. This is very auspicious day celebrated to pray the god so that every new activity that is started is successfully completed without any obstacles. As with all festivals, hymns are sung, prayers are recited and prasad [offering in the form of food] is made. Legend has it that Modak are Lord Ganesha’s favourite sweet and are thus made by devotees to offer to him as prasad. Traditionally Mahrashtrian households prepare these modaks by making a rice flour dough and then filling it with freshly scraped and grated coconut-jaggery stuffing. Sweet shops across the length and breadth of the country are flooded with modaks of every size, flavour and colour, but traditional steamed ones are hard to find at retail shops and they are the best. Maharashtrian Modak recipe popularly known as Ukadiche Modak in my try list for long time. Last year I tried , but the plain ones, so this year plan to make the colourful ones. I was very curious about the colourful pari/ cover, so watched so many videos on You Tube which helped me lot to solve all my doubts and to make a good modak recipe. Apart from shaping the modak, I didn’t feel anything difficult in this recipe. I must admit here that the outer covering/ pari needs some practice. But I really want to try and love this ukadiche modak, so tried them with the mould. Though I have used a modak mould, you don’t need compulsorily one. A little practice and you can easily make them by hand as the dough is filled, pulled, twisted and shaped exactly like one would a momo.

INGREDIENTS:

For Outer Cover:

1 Cup Rice Flour

1 Cup Water

Salt to taste

½ teaspoon Ghee

For Stuffing:

½ Cup Jaggery

1 Cup Fresh grated Coconut

¼ teaspoon Cardamom Powder

1 teaspoon Poppy Seeds

Other Ingredients:

Yellow and Red Food Colour

1 teaspoon Ghee

METHOD:

For Making Outer Cover:

STEP 1 – In a vessel, add water, salt and ghee and bring it to boil.

STEP 2 – When water begins to boil, add rice flour and mix it.

STEP 3 – Turn off the gas and cover it for 10 minutes.

For Making Stuffing:

STEP 1 – Heat up a pan on medium flame, add poppy seeds and dry roast it for 1 minute.

STEP 2 – Then add grated coconut, roast it for about 2 minutes.

STEP 3 – Add grated jaggery and mix well.

STEP 4 – Fry for about 5-7 minutes until the mixture becomes a little dry.

STEP 5 – Turn off the gas and add cardamom powder and mix it.

STEP 6 – Let the mixture cool down to room temperature and stuffing is ready.

How to proceed:

STEP 1 – Take the ukad/ rice mixture into a big dish/ bowl and knead it really well for approximately 7-8 minutes.

STEP 2 – If you feel ukad is getting dry and unable to knead, then you can use a little ghee or hot water for kneading.

STEP 3 – Divide the ukad in equal 3 portions [depends upon how many colours you are going to use].

STEP 4 – Add a drop of red colour in one dough portion and mix well. Keep it covered.

STEP 5 – In another portion, add a drop of yellow colour and knead it again.

STEP 6 – Now we have 3 coloured dough balls of equal size.

STEP 7 – Divide each of them in equal small portions, like red, yellow and white. Cover the dough with wet cloth.

STEP 8 – Now take 1 ball from each colored portion and press them together as shown in the picture below. It should be properly sealed and there should be no gap left.

STEP 9 – If it is sticking to your hand while making pari or modak, then use some rice flour while making pari. I have used modak mould as I am not expert in making modak with pari. Grease the mould with ghee.

STEP 10 – Put the mixed colored dough ball in a greased modak mould and press well. Keep the gap to fill with stuffing.

STEP 11 – Fill the gap with the stuffing and seal it from the bottom with some dough.

STEP 12 – Heat a steamer with water in it. Grease a banana leaf with some ghee and keep it aside.

STEP 13 - Likewise prepare all the modaks and keep aside.

STEP 14 – Once all the modaks are done, place the modak onto a steamer plate, which have been lined with banana leaf or muslin cloth. [I used idli steamer and a colander to steam my modak]