Modak Recipes

Let’s admit it. No Indian festival is ever complete without some sweet and savory flavors in our households. Especially when it comes to occasions like Holi, Diwali, and Ganesh Chaturthi, these sweets are unmissable.

Since the much-awaited Ganesh Chaturthi is right here, we must try our hands at preparing some delicious Modaks. After all, offering Lord Ganesha his favorite sweet means even we get to have some, right!

Try these sumptuous Modak recipes by Bharti Sanghi, Founder of LIFE — Artisanal Foods, which is working to put the rich Indian culinary tradition back on the map.

Boondi Modak

Ingredients: (For making Boondis)

• 1/2 cup Gram flour (besan)
• Salt, as per your taste 
• pinch Baking soda
• Water, as required
• Ghee, as required, for frying boondis

For making sugar syrup

• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/4 cup Water

For toppings

• 10 to 12 Saffron strands
• 1/2 teaspoon Cardamom Powder (Elaichi)
• 1/2 teaspoon Rosewater
• 1 teaspoon Whole Almonds (Badam), crushed
• 1 tablespoon ghee

METHOD

1. To begin making the Boondi Modak recipe, sieve the besan. To this add in salt, orange food color, and ghee.
2. Mix them well. Next, add in water, little by little & make them into a smooth batter. The consistency should be like thick dosa batter.
3. Heat oil in a Kadai and just before making the boondis, add in the baking soda & give a quick mix.
4. When the oil is hot, using a perforated ladle making the boondis, Repeat the same procedure until done.
5. When boondis are done, allow them to cool down completely.
6. Heat sugar & water in a Kadai/wok on medium flame. When it reaches the one-string consistency, add in saffron water & switch off the flame.
7. To the coarsely powdered boondis, add in the crushed almonds, rose water, cardamom powder, saffron & ghee. Mix them.
8. Then add in the sugar syrup little by little and you will end up using it in all the syrup. Mix them well. Cover this and leave it aside for 15 to 20 minutes so that the boondi absorbs all the flavors.
9. After 20 minutes, mix them again with your hands. Take a modak mold, grease them with ghee lightly, fill in the boondis. Make them into modak shape & then serve.

Khoya Modak

Ingredients: 2 cups crumbled khoya, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup finely chopped pistachio
1/4 tsp elaichi powder, a few strands of Kesar strands

Methods: Combine the mava and sugar in a broad non-stick pan.
Switch on the flame and cook the mava mixture on high flame for 1 minute, while stirring continuously. Reduce the flame to medium and cook for 5 minutes, while stirring continuously. Remove from the flame, transfer it into a bowl and keep aside to cool.
Crumble the mava with your fingertips, add the pistachios, elaichi powder, and saffron, mix well. Take a portion of the mava mixture, place it on one side of the modak mold and close them tightly. Remove the excess modak mixture from the edges of the modak mould and demould the modak. Repeat steps 7 to 8.

Coconut Modak

Ingredients : (For Dough) 2 cups rice flour, (For Filling) 1/4 cups grated jaggery
2 cups freshly grated coconut, 1 tbsp khus-khus, 1/2 tsp elaichi powder, 1 tsp ghee for kneading and greasing

Method for dough
Boil 1¾ cups of water in a deep non-stick pan. Place the rice flour in a deep bowl and add the boiled water gradually. Mix well using a spoon in the beginning and then knead into a soft and smooth dough. Cover with a lid and keep aside for 10 minutes.

For filling
Heat a deep non-stick pan, add the jaggery and cook on a slow flame for 1 to 2 minutes or till the jaggery melts, while stirring continuously. Add the coconut, khus-khus, and elaichi powder, mix well and cook on a slow flame for 4 to 5 minutes or till the mixture thickens. Keep aside to cool slightly. Divide the filling into 20 equal portions and keep aside.

 How to proceed

1. Knead the dough once again using ½ tsp of ghee and keep aside.
2. Grease a modak mold using very little ghee and close it.
3. Take a portion of the dough, press it into the cavity of the modak mold till it is evenly lined on all sides.
4. Fill the dough cavity with a portion of the filling.
5. Take a smaller portion of the dough and spread it evenly at the base of the modak mold so as to seal the filling.
6. Demould the modak from the modak mold.
7. Repeat steps 2 to 7.
8. Place a steamer plate in a steamer and place a banana leaf on it.
9. Moisten all the modaks with little water using your fingertips.
10. Place 10 modaks on the banana leaf and steam on a medium flame for 10 minutes.
11. Repeat step 10 to make 11 more modaks in 1 more batch.
12. Serve warm