A Modak is a sweet dumpling very popular in western and southern India. Modak has a special importance in the worship of the Hindu Elephant god, Ganesha. In India, Modak is considered to be the favourite food of God Ganesha, hence it is a age long ritual of making modak and offering them on the auspicious day of Ganesh Chaturthi. It is ritual of offering 11 or 21 modaks to the God Ganesha as "Naivedya".Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated all over India, but it is celebrated with much enthuthiasm in Maharashtra where idols of Ganesha is brought home and the house and mandap( place where the idol is sitted) is decorated and people are invited to pray and take prasadhams. In Public places too large idols as long as 10 ft is sitted which is open to everyone irrespective of religion. The visarjan usually lasts as per people's preference . Some bid goodbye in 1 and half day, some for 5 days and some worship till the Ananth Chaturthi which falls on the 11th day after Ganesh chaturthi. During this period, the festival is celebrated with much enthuthiasm and happiness. And Modak is offered to the god and the people visiting him.
There are different kinds of Modak, but Ukadiche modak called as "Rice Modak" is considered the favourite of the God Ganesh. Hence, Ukadiche Modak is a must among many hindus on the first day "Ganesh Chaturthi".
Apart from Ukadiche Modak, there are different kinds of modak like Meva modak, Kaju Modak, Ghavan (which is prepared in konkan belt), Mango Modak etc. This Ukadiche Modak is a steamed rice modak, but there are some modaks which can be deep fried too. But do check the calories. Most of them prefer steamed modak, since it tastes declicious.
A Modak is called Modak in Marathi in Maharashtra, Modhaka in Kannada (karnataka), Modhakam in Tamil(in TamilNadu) and Kolukattai in Telugu (in Andhra Pradesh). The sweet filling is made of fresh coconut and jaggery the shell is of rice floor. The dumpling can be fried or steamed. But is would like to suggest you to go for steamed modaks, they are really delicious. Modaks can be prepared with the help of our hands, where the dough which is made from rice is shaped into cups and the puran is stuffed inside and the edges are closed like a potli. Or even a modak maker can be used which are easily available in stores. Use the modak makers which is a small mould which is used to shape the modaks. Just fill this mould with dough, with a hole in centre of it where the stuffing would be kept and then seal it from the bottom with dough. I have used modak moulds for making the modaks, since i love the shapes which it gives them. So here is the recipe for ukadiche modak, a favourite of Ganesha and kids.
Indregients:
For the dough (outer covering):
Rice or Rice Flour (Tandul Pithi) – 2 big bowls (heaped)...Read the method below for making the rice flour, or else rice flour available in market can be used.
Salt (meeth) – 1/4 tspn
Water – 2 big bowls
Clarified ghee – 2-3 tbsps.
For the stuffing (puran):
Grated Coconut (Khislela Naral/Nariyal khisa) – 2 big bowls
Jaggery crushed (Gul) – 1 1/2 big bowls
Cardamom powder ( Velchi) – 1 tspn.
Method:
For the dough:
- Clean, wash and drain rice thoroughly.
- Dry completely by spreading on an absorbent sheet of cloth. Use a clean Cotton towel for absorbing.
- Grind dried to a fine powder. Pass it through a fine sieve. Seive it twice to get fine flour.
- Bring one and a quarter cups of water to boil in a pan, add salt and ghee to it.
- Turn off the flame and add the rice flour in a flow, stirring continuously to prevent lumps from forming.
- Remove the pan from heat and keep it covered for ten to fifteen minutes. Place a wet cloth over it to prevent it from drying.
- Grease your palms with a little oil and knead the cooked rice mixture to a soft dough. Knead to make a soft dough with a smooth finish which will give a shiny look.
- Keep covered with a moist cloth. The pic below shows how the dough would look like when is how the dough would look like when kneeded.
For the stuffing:- Take grated coconut and jaggery together in a bowl and mix it well.
- After combing them well, place a pan on heat and cook on medium heat for one or two minutes or till light golden brown.
- Keep stirring them . After 10-15 min jaggery will start melting. Then add cardamom powder and stir well.
- The mixture will start changing colour and become sticky; this means your mixture is ready.
- Ensure that it is not overcooked. Remove it from flame and cool it slightly.
- This is how the stuffing also called puran would look like when it is cooked. See the pic below.
For Making The Modaks:- Divide the coconut mixture into ten to twelve equal sized portions.
- Divide the dough into ten to twelve lemon sized balls.
- Now, take 2 -3 drops of oil and greese the palms well so that the modak can be made easily without any stickiness at hands.
- With greased palms flatten each ball to form discs of three inches diameter.
- Place a portion of coconut and jaggery mixture in the centre, form eight to ten pleats with fingers, gather them together to form a bundle and seal the edges at the top.
- Or try to make bowls and place the stuffing, use the way you feel most convenient. For bowl method, try to make small bowl like shapewith the dough.
- The sides of the bowl should be very thin and then make as many pleats as you can.
- Place some stuffing into it and start gathering the pleats together in the centre.
- Or for one more easiest method, opt for modak moulds which is available in stores. Just stuff some dough into the mould and with the help of fingers create some space for the stuffing the middle (the mould has a hole at the bottom, place the fingers into it to shape them like a mould within). The outer cover should be thin, so use greased fingers and press with the walls of the moulds and stuff the purans into it. Cover the bottom with some dough and remove it from the mould. Usually the edges of mould is joined with nails, where one is kept open to remove the modaks from the mould.
- The below pic is just taken before it was removed from mould and was about to be steamed. You can the notice that this modak are not shiny, but the steamed modaks come out shiny and looks beautiful.
The Steames Modaks:- Now steam modaks you made in a pressure cooker(1/4th full water) without the whistle on. Or use a idli cooker too.
- Just use a strainer with flat base which fits on your cooker and keep a fine cloth to place the modaks.
- Steam them for 10-12 minutes.
- It will look shiny when it is steamed. Look the pic below for the steamed modak. The edges too looks smooth when steamed.
- Serve modak when hot with ghee, but dont forget to offer it first to God Ganesha.
Preparation Time: 1 hour
Cooking Time: 20 -30 minutes
Serves: 4 persons, makes about 12 -16 modaks
Shelflife: 1 day
Serving Suggestion:Serve Hot with ghee or without ghee as per choice.
Note:
- Apply oil or ghee before kneading and also while making modak.
- You can use idli steamer for steaming the modak. Before placing them in cooker for steaming deep them in water, as they wont crack.
- Make sure you keep the prepared modaks (before steaming) moist by using wet cloth to cover them else they will dry.
- In the pressure cooker you can use a banana leaf instead of cloth. Even turmeric leaf can be used, it gives a good aroma to modaks.
Click here to know more about Indian Sweets and Desserts - An Introduction To Indian Sweets .
Click Here to know more about Maharashtrain food and cuisines- An Introduction To Maharashtrian Foods and Cuisines.
Click here to know more about Tamil Nadu Foods and Cuisines - An Introduction To Tamil Nadu Foods and Cuisines.
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hi the modaks are wonderful, can i know where we can buy the modak makers
(bangalore, chennai)
You can buy this modak makers from any shop selling steel utensils.They are easily available all over India.Sorry for the late reply
hi modak is called kudumu in telugu not kolukathai.. kolukattai is tamil name for modak :)
My biggest problem used to that the dough would be very dry and so would crumble ... but this recipe is perfect. My dough never crumbled and I made some really respectable- looking ( :D) modak without the mould. Thanks very much for the recipe!!