Modak - Sweet Rice Dumpling ( Ganesha Chaturthi Special)

Happy Sri Ganesha Chaturthi to all of my readers and visitors of the site . I pray to lord Ganesha to give happiness, luck and blessing to everyone. It is a Hindu festival and also my favorite festival and Lord Ganesha is my favorite God. Modak is one of the most popular dessert during Ganesha chaturthi festival in Maharashtra. It has to prepared in almost every house in Maharashtra during this festive season of Ganesha chaturthi.  There is very less use of ghee or oil in this recipe. So people who don't like eating much ghee or oil can enjoy eating modak very much .  Modak is a favorite dish of Lord Ganesha. It made with rice flour, coconut and jaggery stuffing. Modak is mouth-watering delicacy is an inseparable part of Ganesha Chaturthi celebrations. You can try and make it more often as it is a tasty treat for the whole family.

 

Preparation Time: 20 mins Cooking Time: 40 mins Makes 21 modaks 

Ingredients: For The Dough

• Rice Flour (chawal ka atta) - 1 cup
• Ghee - 1 tbsp
• Water - 1 cup

For The Filling

• Raw Coconut - 1 cup(grated)
• Jaggery (gur) - 3/4 cup
• Poppy seeds(khus khus) - 1 tbsp *Optional
• Salt to taste
• Cashew nut(kaju) - 2 tbsp(fine chopped) *Optional
• Raisins (kismis) -1 tbsp *Optional
• Green cardamon powder (elaichi) - 1/2 tbsp

Method : For The Dough

• Heat 1 cup water any container.
• Add salt and 1 tbsp ghee in water.
• Cover the water so that it gets boiled quickly.
• When water has started boiling , turn off  the gas.
• Add rice flour in the water, mix rice flour in water nicely.
• Then cover dough for 5 min and the knead it.

For The Filling

• Add poppy seeds in heated pan.
• Stir constantly and roast for 1 min, take it in a bowl.
• Now add jagger in the pan and cook on a slow flame for 1 to 2 minutes or till the jaggery melts, while stirring continuously.
• Now add coconut on it.
• Cook on low flame for 2-3 min.
• Add poppy seeds , cashew nut and raisins, mix all ingredient nicely.
•  Now turn off the gas and add cardamon powder into it, let the stuffing get cool.

How to processed

• Now take all the dough in a plate/thali or in a bowl and mash it with spoon.
• Knead it with your hand moment its get cool.
• Grease your hand with little ghee and knead it until it become soft.
• Take little amount of mixture (lemon size) in your hand and make a round ball.
• Fatted it with your palms and fingers.
• Keep the corner thin and thick from center.
• Now place 1 tbsp staffing in it.
• Now give a shape flower.
• Now seal it from all side.
• Finlay get modak shape .
• Repeat the all rice flour balls.
• Arrange all the prepared modak on a greased idily plate and steam cooker for 10 to 15 min on until done.
• Wait for 10 min to cool down and then remove it from the idily pan.
• Delicious modak is ready.

For Fried Modaks

• Heat oil in the frying pan and deep fry the modaks on low or medium flame till they turn golden brown from all sides.

Notes:

• Instead of whole wheat flour, you can also use all purpose flour or maida or half-half of both.
• These modaks stay fresh for a day at room temperature and for 2 days if refrigerated.
• Do not over steam the modaks, else they will become hard.
• Boil water well,the dough should get cooked 3/4th,then only the dough will be not sticky and also soft after cooking.
• Grease your hands generously each time you make modak to get it smooth.
• Water should be very hot, only then the flour will get cooked well and the dough will be less sticky.
• If while shaping modaks you are facing problem apply water to your palm.
• If any point of time the modak cracks don't worry just patch with little dough.