Ganapati’s Favourite Prasad /offering is

Ukadiche Modak(Rice flour sweet dumplings). Om Ganeshay Namah ( Hail Lord Ganesha)!!

After about 15 years I got the taste of Maharashtra by trying and making these famous modak. I still remember the shop near Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai where we need to stand in long queues to buy these modaks there(back then I was 12 yrs old). After making them now I could recall their taste and appearance.

Today I got to believe in the divine power of Shree Ganesha. It is said that if you keep HIM in your mind and start your day and chores, you will end up happily and so I am. Although my hand-pleated modak didn’t came out well(being a 1st timer) , but the mold shaped modak have saved my efforts 😀

INGREDIENTS:
For stuffing :
1. Jaggery (Gur) – 1.5 cups
2. Desiccated coconut powder/freshly grated coconut (nariyal) – 2 cups
3. Poppy seeds (khuskhus/poshak) – 4 tbsp
4. Cashews halved (kaju) – 2 tbsp
5. Raisins washed and dried (kishmish) – 2 tbsp
6. Cardamom Powder (elaichi)- 1/2 tsp
7. Nutmeg powder (jaifal) – a pinch
8. Ghee (clarified butter) – 2 tbsp

For Covering(ukad) :
1. Rice Flour – 2 cups
2. Water – 1 cup
3. Milk – 1 cup
4. All purpose Flour (maida) – 2 tbsp (optional)
5. Clarified Butter (ghee) -1 tsp
6. Salt – a pinch

METHOD:
| Preparation time : 15 mins | Cooking time : 1 hr(depending on the steamer) | Makes 40 medium sized modaks |
For Stuffing:
1. First let us prepare the stuffing. For this take a non-stick pan or wok(kadhai). Heat it.

2. Add ghee in it. When it starts melting add the poppy seeds in it.



3. Let them cook till they change color and emit a nice aroma of roasted seeds.


4. Now add the jaggery with coconut powder and lower the heat.


5. Stir them well till all is mixed. Try that the jaggery should dry up and does not stick to the bottom or sides of the pan.


6. When the mixture has dried almost completely ,turn off the heat and add the cardamon powder,nutmeg powder and nuts. Mix them well and transfer the contents in another bowl.



7. Leave the stuffing covered on the counter to cool to room temperature.


For Ukad:
1. Take a fry pan or non-stick pan and add water + milk in it. Also add the salt and ghee in it.



2. Bring this mix to a boil.

3. Now add the rice + All purpose flour (which is already sieved together in a bowl and kept) in the pan. Lower the heat to minimum and cover the pan. Stir well the flour in the milk-water mix to prevent lump formation later.


4. Let it rest in the pan for 2 mins.


5. Turn off the heat now and keep the pan aside from the stove.

6. After 20 mins, when the mixture is still warm, grease your hands with ghee and form the dough. Here we have added APF only to make the dough sticky enough. Instead of APF ,you may add 4 tsp Glutenous rice flour(from Japanese store) too for a nice soft sticky dough.


Its texture is similar to the potato stuffing we prepare for Aloo parantha.

7. Keep the dough covered with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying.

Assembling:
Method 1>>
1. Now make balls out of the dough of size of small lemon.
2. Grease your fingers and palms with ghee and flatten the ball slowly by making depression in the center rotating between both your hands.
3. Make a dent in the center and place a spoonful of stuffing inside it.
4. Now using your index and middle fingers, make pleats with equal spacing in between all around the circumference.
5. Bring all the pleats together and seal them at the top. Remove the top extra ukad.


Method 2 >>
1. In this method we use a mold. Hence this method is relatively easier for freshers;).

2. Open the mold and grease it with ghee. Now place the ball on one side of the mold and close it tightly.


3. Remove the excess dough that spills out.

4. Now with your index finger , dig a hole from the bottom of the mold in such a way that you take out the dough and make space for stuffing. Try to take out as much as you can so that only a thin layer remains inside the mold.


5. Fill the space hence created with a spoonful of stuffing .


6. Now pinch a small piece of dough and flatten it to give a disc shape. Stick this disc at the bottom of the mold and push it inside such that it sticks to the inside dough layer.


7. Now open the mold, tada! your modak shape is ready!


8. Cover this modaks with a damp cloth. (I didn’t do that, because in my steamer only 5 were able to steam at a time.)

Steaming:
1. For steaming fill water in an open vessel or kadhai. Bring it to a boil.


2. Keep a colander or a strainer on it and line it with a banana leaf. If you don’t have a banana leaf, you may use a tea-towel or 2 handkerchiefs. This just prevents the base of the modak from hardening with steam.Or simply grease your colander with ghee.



3.Either dip the modaks thus stuffed in water and then place them on the banana leaf or sprinkle water over them after placing them on banana leaf.

This dipping in water prevents their layer from hardening.



4. Cover them with a lid or plate for 15 mins.After 15 mins ,check the texture of the modak. If they have turned translucent, and have expanded in size a bit , they are done.


5. Carefully pick the hot modaks with a pair of tongs and keep them in a plate. Drizzle a spoon of ghee on hot modaks and offer to Lord Ganesha !! 🙂


6. Your hot delicious modaks are ready to serve. Keep them covered in a closed container when they cool down to prevent drying.

This is how they look from inside!

These modaks are really tasty and healthy too (non-fried)!! If I can get them in first attempt, why can’t you!!!
Ganapati Bappa Moriya!!


Happy cooking 😀
Please feel free to ask or suggest!! We warmly welcome your comments!!