How To Prepare Modak Recipe (With & Without Mould) for Ganesh Chaturthi At Home With Detailed Explanation | Buy Clay Ganesh Idols, Pooja Items Online at Value Bazaar via Minimart App
Modak recipe with mould and without mould. Modak is believed to be one of Lord Ganesha's favorite sweets. Also known as Kudumu, Kadubu, Modakam or Kozhukattai in regional languages, these are a sweet stuffing offered as prasadam / naivedyam / offering to Lord Ganesha during Ganesha Chaturthi Puja. Some people also prepare these for Sankasti Chaturthi puja every month. In this post I share 2 ways to format modakas with lots of troubleshooting tips.
Lord Ganesha, the son of Lord Shiva & Goddess Parvati is the Hindu deity of wisdom and intelligence. He is revered as the remover of obstacles in our life. So many Hindus pray to Lord Ganesha throughout the year before starting their daily routine.
Ganesh Chaturthi also known as Vinayaka Chavithi is a festival celebrating the birthday of Lord Ganesha. Hindus believe that Ganesha loves Modaka, hence he is also known as Modakapriya, one of the 108 names mentioned in Ganesha Ashtothram. So modak is prepared in almost every home celebrating this special day.
About Modak
Modak is a Maharashtrian festive dumpling made with rice flour & sweet coconut jaggery filling. These are offered to the Hindu deity, Lord Shri Ganesha during the 9-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival. Traditionally these sweet dumplings are made by hand, filled with sweetened coconut and then steamed. The filling is delicately flavored with cardamom powder and sometimes with nutmeg.
In Marathi they are called "Ukadiche Modak" which means "Steamed Modak". The modak making process involves 2 levels of steaming. Steam once while preparing the batter. Small portions of dough are then shaped, filled and then they are steamed to finish the cooking.
Modaks are also prepared in many other states with different fillings like sesame jaggery, chana dal jaggery or peanut jaggery. Many people also make stuffing according to their family traditions.
In this post I have shown the coconut jaggery filling. This recipe makes 11 large modakas. If you have a tradition of offering 21 modakas to the God, you can either make smaller modakas or double the recipe.
Modak Recipe With Mould & Without Mould
Steamed Modak also known as Ukadiche Modak are sweet dumplings filled with coconut and jaggery. These are prepared to offer to Lord Ganesha on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. I have instructions for steaming them in a pot, cooker or instant pot.
Preparation Time - 5 minutes | Cook Time - 55 minutes | Servings - 9 to 10
Ingredients : (1 cup - 240ml to 250ml)
Sweet filling
- 2 cups of grated coconut (fresh or frozen, 200g)
- 1 cup of jaggery grated or powdered (125 - 150g)
- 4 green cardamoms powdered (½ tsp)
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg powder (optional)
- 1 tsp ghee
For the outer cover
- 1 cup of rice flour (fine flour, 150g)
- 1 cup of water (2 - 3 tbsp more to knead)
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 tsp ghee
For greasing
- 1 tsp ghee (use as needed)
How To Make The Recipe
Make Sweet Filling For Modak
1. Add 1 tsp of ghee in a hot pan.
2. Saute until both the jaggery and coconut blend well and the mixture becomes thick. Do not overcook. There should be no excess moisture in the pan. (Check the detailed explanation below to know the consistency)
3. Add cardamom powder and nutmeg. Turn off the stove and cool completely.
Make Dough
1. Bring 1 cup of water to a rolling boil along with salt and ghee.
2. Regulate the flame to low, then add the flour and give it a good mix. Ignore the dough at this stage if it looks dry and crumbly.
3. Switch off the stove and cover the pot. Keep it aside and steam the batter in the remaining heat. Let it rest till the temperature goes down a bit.
4. While the mixture is still slightly hot, knead it into a soft, non-sticky yet soft crack-free dough. If the mixture looks dry sprinkle a little hot or warm water and knead it. I sprinkle 2 - 3 tbsp at this stage. (Check the detailed explanation below).
5. Divide the dough to make 9 - 10 equal sized balls. Cover the balls with a wet cloth until you are finish all the modakas.
6. Make sure the coconut filling is completely cooled before you start making the modak. Take each ball in your palm and roll them into a smooth and crack-free ball.
How To Make Modak With Mould
1. Lightly apply the mould with ghee. Close the mould and place the dough ball inside. Press the dough with your finger to spread it around the sides of the mould.
2. Then fill the sweetened coconut and seal the modak carefully. (Check the detailed explanation below). Open the mould and transfer the modak to the applied / greased ghee steam basket.
How To Make Handmade Modak (Without Mould)
1. Take a ball and make a dent in the middle. Dip your fingers in the water / ghee.
2. Start spreading the dough to make a thin disc using thumb and index fingers on both hands in a circular motion.
3. Keep a small amount of dough on the outside of the disc to make pleats ½ to ¾ inch apart.
4. If the edges break, keep dipping your fingers in water / ghee and moisten the dough.
5. Place 1 to 1½ tbsp of coconut mixture in the center.
6. Bring all the pleats together and mix them carefully. Moisten fingers and mix them if necessary.
Steaming
1. Then place all the modakas in a applied / greased steamer basket. You can skip the greasing and place a damp cloth in the steamer basket. You can also sprinkle some saffron if you want.
2. Place rack / trivet in steamer or pot or pressure cooker. Add 1½ cups of water and bring to a rolling boil over medium high heat.
3. Place the steamer basket inside the pot or cooker and cover with a lid. If steaming in a regular pot, your lid should have a vent for the steam to escape. If using a pressure cooker, remove the weight/whistle. Steam the modaks on medium high heat for 10 minutes.
4. The steaming timer starts from the time you cover the pot / cooker. After 10 - 12 minutes, switch off the stove and keep the modakas in the cooker for 5 minutes.
5. Remove the steamer basket and place on a cooling rack.
6. Pour few drops of ghee on the modakas. Offer them to Ganesha and serve as prasadam / naivedyam.
Instant Pot Steaming
1. If using an Instant Pot, press the saute button and pour 1½ cups of water into the steel insert. Place the long-legged trivet. When the water becomes hot, place the modak basket inside and press cancel. Cover the Instant Pot.
2. Fit the steam release valve to the venting. Press the steam button. A timer will not work for this option, so use an external timer.
3. After 10 minutes, tap Cancel. Wait for another 5 - 10 minutes, remove the basket and pour few drops of ghee.
Notes :
Make sure you use good quality fresh super-fine flour. You can even make your own fresh flour at home.
Making Rice Flour For Modak :
1. Rinse and soak 3/4 to 1 cup of raw rice in water for at least 2 hours. Drain the rice in a colander and leave for 30 minutes.
2. Air dry or fan dry on a cotton cloth for 30 - 40 minutes. When the rice is slightly wet, make powder in the mixer.
3. Sieve the flour through a fine sieve. Dry the flour on a tray until it is completely dry. This may take a few hours.
4. Refrigerate and use within 2 weeks.
Detailed Explanation (How To Make Modakas At Home):
How To Shape Modak
There are 2 ways to shape Modakas. One way is to use a mould and the other is to shape them by hand. Making modak using a mould is very easy. Modak moulds are easily available in Indian market or Indian stores throughout the year.
If you live in a country / location where moulds are not available, you can make them by hand by following my step-by-step. I will show you 2 ways to make them mould-free.
I am also sharing many tips to making perfect filling & perfect dough with step by step.
How To Make Modak - Stepwise
Prepare The Stuffing
1. Heat a pan with 1 tsp ghee. I did not use poppy seeds as they are not available in the country where I live. Many people use them. If you like, add 1 tbsp of white poppy seeds and fry them briefly on low flame for 30 to 60 seconds.
2. Add 2 cups (200g) of grated fresh coconut
3. Then add ¾ to 1 cup jaggery. I used 1 cup (150g of jaggery powder). If you like it less sweet, you can add ¾ cup.
4. Stir and start cooking on medium flame. Depending on the type of jaggery the mixture may turn into a ball after some time. Continue to cook until all the excess moisture has evaporated and it is dry. Add cardamom powder and nutmeg (optional). Avoid overcooking as the filling may become tough. Turn off the stove. Keep it aside to cool completely.
Make Dough
5. Pour 1 cup of water into a pot or pan. Add 1 pinch of salt and 1 tsp of ghee to the water. Bring it to a rolling boil.
6. Turn the flame to low and add 1 cup of flour (150g) and quickly mix it well.
7. The dough turns to a lumpy mixture.
8. Cover and turn off the stove. Remove from the stove and let it steam in the remaining heat. While it cools down prepare your steamer and basket. You can either grease the steaming basket or spread it with a muslin cloth.
9. When the mixture has cooled slightly from hot, transfer the mixture into a wide bowl. Do not allow to cool down completely. The mixture will be soft and dry. Sprinkle little hot or lukewarm water if necessary and knead to a smooth, crack-free & non-sticky dough. I use 2 tbsp of hot water in this step.
10. Divide the mixture into 11 portions. If using a mould, divide according to the size of your mould. If you have smaller ones, you can make 16 balls. With a big mould you will only get 9. Moulds come in different sizes so I can't give an exact number. Knead each one to soft ball. Cover them with a moist cloth.
Make Modak Without Mould
11. Take a ball, dip your fingers in a bowl of water. Make a dent in the center using your thumb. Using both hands start spreading the dough in a circular motion with your thumb and forefingers. Dip your fingers in the water as needed as you work on it. If the batter becomes sticky, you can use ghee instead of water.
Method : 1
12. We want an even shaped round puri. The edges should be thinner than the center. Gently pinch very little dough with the help of thumb and forefinger and pleat it on the outer side. Make as many pleats as you can about half to 3/4 inch apart. Keep 1 to 1.5 tbsp. Chilled coconut jaggery mixture in the middle.
13. Take all the pleats gently and seal them to give a good shape. Keep them aside on a greased steaming basket or moist cloth covered over a steamer. Remember to keep the modakas covered with a damp cloth.
Method : 2 – Make Modak
14. You can also make a cup shape from the rice dough first and tehn pinch small pieces of dough on the sides to make pleats. Keep the filling in the middle.
15. Then join the edges. But the first method I have shown is very easy for beginners.
16. If you find the above methods difficult, you can try this. You can also shape it like kadubu or karanji. Make a puri, and place the coconut jaggery mixture on one half.
17. Cover with the other half. Seal the both edges by pressing with wet fingers (dip fingers in water). Tuck a little dough from the edges to give it a nice finish. You can also use a greased fork to give a nice design. Keep the modakas covered with a damp cloth.
18. These are hand-made modakas before steaming.
With Mould
19. Grease your mould with ghee.
20. Close the mould and place the dough ball inside. Press down the dough into the sides of the mould, leaving a space in the center.
21. Gently press down the coconut filling.
22. Close the Modak with the excess dough that comes out. Or you can also seal the opening with more dough. Open the mould and carefully remove the modak. Always remember to keep them covered with a damp cloth until they are ready for steaming. Grease the steamer basket or place a thin cotton cloth in a wide bowl or steamer basket. Place all modaks in a basket / bowl.
Steam Modak
23. On medium high flame, bring 1.5 to 2 cups of water to a rolling boil in a steamer or pot or stove top pressure cooker. Place a steel rack or trivet in the water. To use the Instant Pot, press the Saute button & pour 1.5 to 2 cups of water into the steel insert. Place the long-legged trivet into the steel insert of the IP.
24. Place the modak basket in the pot and cover the pot or cooker. If using a pot, make sure your lid has a vent for steam to escape. If using a stovetop pressure cooker, remove the weight / whistle. Steam for 10 minutes on medium high heat. The timer starts from the time you cover the pot. I sprinkled some saffron on the steamed modak before steaming. Switch off and rest for a while, around 5 minutes.
Instant pot : When the water becomes hot, place the steamer basket on the trivet. Press Cancel. Protect the IP with a lid. Press the steam button and position the steam release valve to venting. Make sure you use an external timer for 10 minutes, as the timer will not work for this steam function. After 10 minutes, press cancel and wait for 5 minutes.
Pour a few drops of ghee on the hot modakas. Offer steaming modaka to Lord Ganesha. We do not offer hot foods to God during puja. So I'll cool down a sometime and make an offer.
Pro-Tips
Flour : Water Ratio – 1 cup of rice flour usually requires a little more than 1 cup of water to make a perfect dough. It may take more but not less. So add 1 cup of flour to 1 cup of boiling water, mix and let rest. Add 2 to 3 tbsp of hot or warm water to make a soft dough. The amount of water required depends on the type of rice flour.
Kneading the dough properly with enough heat or lukewarm water is the key to getting a smooth modak covering. So feel free to sprinkle more water as needed taking care not to add too much water. After kneading the rice flour dough should be soft and without cracks.
Always keep the dough covered with a damp cloth until it is use. This prevents the dough from drying out and cracking while shaping.
Troubleshooting Dough
Dough cracking while making modakas: means the dough is dry and needs some more moisture. Sprinkle some warm water and knead the dough.
Dough is sticky: If you follow the recipe properly, the dough will not stick. A sticky dough means that the dough has too much moisture, sprinkle 1 tsp of rice flour in the dough and knead well again.
Tips To Make The Stuffing
Cook the jaggery and fresh coconut until the mixture looks almost dry. Steaming the Modakas releases excess moisture in the mixture and dissolves the jaggery.
Tips To Shape The Modak
Do not make the rice batter too thin as the covering will break. Shaping modak by hand takes some practice. So if you are a beginner try with a small batch first.
Choosing Ingredients
Rice flour : To make modak, thin & fluffy rice flour is required. It is the quality of the flour that determines the texture of your modak. With fine flour they become soft without cracking. Most Indian grocery stores carry them, and some brands even sell specific ones labeled Modak flour or Kozhukattai flour.
If you're in doubt about store bought flour, sieve it to make sure it's fine.
We make Modakas with homemade flour. Making rice flour at home does takes some time as the rice has should be soaked, drained and then ground in a grinder. After that it is finally sieved.
The main ingredient used to make the filling is coconut. If preparing for prasadam or naivedyam, we break fresh coconut and then scrape it. But you can use frozen or fresh coconut as per your convenience.
Jaggery is the only sweetener that I use to make the modak. But if you live in a country where it is not available, feel free to use light brown sugar. Make sure to use jaggery that is clean, free of stones, debris or dust. You can pick up the dust particles by hand and discard them as you grate.
FAQS (Frequently Asked Questions) :
1. What kind of rice flour is used to make modak?
A. Traditionally, flour made from white raw rice is used because it is super fine, more starchy and sticky, which helps the dough bind better when shaping. If you live outside India, use rice flour from an Indian brand. There are many types of rice flour available in the market that are not suitable for making a modak.
2. Can I use sugar to make modak?
A. Modak is traditionally made with jaggery instead of sugar. Although the recipe can be made with sugar, it is less preferred & many people avoid refined foods for offerings.
3. Why is my modak dough too dry?
A. It may seem dry at first, but as you start kneading the dough, the steam trapped inside makes it smoother and more moist. But if kneading doesn't help, sprinkle some warm water and knead. Every rice flour is different and sometimes aged rice flour needs a few tablespoons more water.
4. Why is my dough too sticky?
A. Using too much water to steam the dough makes the dough stick. So try to use proper amount of water. Alternatively you can add a few tablespoons of dry flour to soak up the excess moisture in the sticky dough. It helps to solve it.
5. Why did my coconut and jaggery stuffing turn hard?
A. Cooking the coconut and jaggery makes the filling harden easily. You can grind it in a grinder with water or heat it with some water.
6. Why do my modakas crack?
A. The modak covering cracks easily if the batter or shaped modaks dry out. So always cover the dough and prepared modakas with a damp cloth.
7. Why did my modakas turn soggy from inside after steaming?
A. If your coconut and jaggery mixture is undercooked, it is likely to release moisture when you steam the modakas. This causes the modakas to become wet from the inside.
8. I cannot eat rice, what can I substitute it with?
A. You can use semolina, also known as suji, instead of rice to make the outer covering. Alternatively you can use mawa, dry fruits mixture or wheat flour to make the outer covering. Rawa modak, fried modak, dry fruits modak and mawa modak are some alternatives to boiled modak.
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