MODAK RECIPE
Modak is Bhagwan Ganesha’s #1 sweet and made in numerous Hindu homes during the primary day of Ganesh Chaturthi Celebration. The most well known assortment of modak that is made is Ukadiche Modak (steamed modak) which is from the Maharashtrian Food. In this post I’m sharing two different ways of making modak recipe - with shape and without the form.
What is Modak :
Modak are steamed dumplings with an external rice flour mixture and a coconut-jaggery stuffing. These sweet dumplings are otherwise called Ukadiche Modak in Marathi language.
The word ukadiche implies 'what is steamed' or 'steamed’. The word 'ukad' additionally implies steamed rice flour batter. So in straightforward English "Ukadiche Modak" signifies steamed modak.
How is Ukadiche Modak made :
For the Ukadiche Modak, the coconut-jaggery stuffing and rice mixture are made at first. Then, segments of the rice batter are formed in a ball, straightened and loaded up with the stuffing.
The edges of the straightened rice batter is then creased, collapsed and formed to make a delightful fluted dumpling what we call as Modak. In the wake of forming the Modak is then steamed.
Modak can be formed in numerous ways. You can make them with the fluted petal shape or even looking like half-moon like Karanji and Gujiya.
To give the fluted shape with hands some training and experience is required. I like to utilize modak molds as I find forming with them is speedier than molding with hands.
Many shops start to sell the modak molds before Ganesh Chaturthi celebration. You could actually get them on the web. In the event that you are fledglings, you can make the half-moon shape for modak or purchase the molds.
Making modak recipe takes a long while and can be a chaotic undertaking, particularly in the event that you don't get the surface of the rice mixture right.
By training, you will figure out how to improve modak at home. Planning modak recipe requires persistence and exertion. It is great on the off chance that you have the modak molds. They make the stuffing work more straightforward.
There is one more variation of modak recipe where the external outside is produced using entire wheat flour and broiled - called Seared Modak. Additionally these Rava Modak likewise don't need any steaming.
On Ganesh Chaturthi Festival
This year Ganesh Chaturthi is beginning on September 19 , 2023 and as expected will keep going for 10 days.
A cheerful Ganesh Chaturthi to every one of the perusers, ahead of time. I supplicate that Bhagwan Ganesha presents thriving, karma and gifts to everybody. In the event that you are searching for recipes which are made during Ganesha celebration, you can really take a look at this rundown of Ganesh Chaturthi Recipes.
The Ganesh Chaturthi celebration is one celebration I have grown up with. I would see as a youngster how we, the enthusiasts of Bhagwan Ganesha would bring him and love him with such a lot of adoration and piety in our souls and homes.
This part of commitment and appreciation turned into a piece of me and is something which I actually have. I can always remember those occasions when I would just sit tight for Ganesh Chaturthi celebration and wouldn't like when we needed to leave Bhagwan Ganesha.
I would likewise hold back to have the extravagant blowout, the prashad (prasad) or naivedya or bhog that was first proposed to Bhagwan Ganesha and afterward to us. This blowout had its own delightful sensation of adoration and commitment mixed in it.
The veggie lover feast served on plantain leaf, would comprise of satvik (made without onion and garlic) food.
So there would be poori, puran poli, lentil stew (varan), a sautéed vegetable dish, steamed rice, curd, ladoo, Banana Sheera and obviously modak in this gala.
Modak is a most loved sweet of the family as well. We as a whole like the sweet jaggery and coconut stuffing inside the modak. This stuffing is like the stuffing in Patholi (a Konkani sweet dish of rice flour pockets or moves steamed in turmeric leaves).
Step by step instructions to make Modak
Make Sweet Stuffing
1. Cleave the jaggery and keep to the side. Additionally grind the coconut and put away. You will require 1 cup jaggery and 1 cup new ground coconut.
On the off chance that you don't approach new coconut, then, at that point, utilize frozen coconut or parched coconut.
For dried up coconut utilize fine meshes or fine shreds. Is utilizing frozen coconut, defrost it before cooking.
2. Heat ghee in a dish. Add ½ teaspoon poppy seeds. Hold intensity to a low. Broil for certain seconds till the poppy seeds begin snapping.
3. Then, at that point, add 1 cup ground new coconut (100 grams) and 1 cup hacked jaggery (200 grams).
4. Blend well and cook this coconut-jaggery combination on a low intensity.
5. The jaggery will liquefy first. Cook on a low intensity and mix frequently.
6. Blending frequently cook this combination till the dampness from the jaggery starts to dry - around 7 to 9 minutes. Switch off the intensity.
Try not to overcook as the jaggery then solidifies. Keep this coconut-jaggery filling to the side and let it cool totally. On cooling, the blend will thicken more.
7. Coming up next is a discretionary step. You can add 1 tablespoon rice flour to this blend and blend well.
The rice flour assists with retaining dampness if any from the sweet stuffing. Put the stuffing to the side to cool.
Make Rice Flour Batter
8. In a container add 1.5 cups water, ¼ teaspoon oil or ghee and ¼ teaspoon salt. Keep it on the burner..
9. Allow this blend to reach boiling point.
10. Add 1 cup rice flour (150 grams). You can utilize Hand crafted Rice Flour or bundled flour. Ensure the rice flour is new and inside its rack period.
11. Immediately mix and blend the rice flour with the water.
12. Mix till everything the rice flour is blended in with the water. Switch off the intensity. Eliminate the skillet from the burner and keep on the working environment. Cover the container with a top for 4 to 5 minutes.
13. Presently take all the batter in a plate or thali or in a bowl. Assemble the mixture and start to work it.
The batter will be hot when you start to manipulate. So spread some water on your palms and ply the mixture. Ply the batter well overall.
In the event that you feel the batter looks thick or hard or dry, simply add a couple of teaspoons of warm water and keep on manipulating.
14. Massage to a smooth and delicate mixture with no protuberances.
15. Make little balls from the mixture. Roll the balls till smooth in your palms. You can likewise apply some water on your palms, while moving the balls.
Keep the balls covered with a kitchen towel. The balls shouldn't have breaks. They ought to be smooth apparently.
Shape Modak Without Form
16. Take a ball and level it with your fingers or on your palms, to a round plate or a shallow bowl shape to a medium thickness.
You can apply ghee or oil in your palms, while straightening. You can keep the edges somewhat slim and the middle can be thick.
17. Place a couple of teaspoons of the pre-arranged stuffing in the middle.
18. Press the edges as displayed in the pic beneath. You can likewise press the edges first and afterward place the stuffing.
19. Unite every one of the edges and go along with them. Eliminate the additional piece of the mixture from the top, if any. Shape and tighten the highest point of the modak with your fingers.
You can likewise utilize prepared modak molds. They are generally accessible in shops and market a few days before the Ganesh Chaturthi celebration.
Make all the modak along these lines. Brush or oil a pan with some oil or ghee. The container can likewise be fixed with banana leaves or turmeric leaves.
Place the molded modak in the lubed skillet with some space around them.
Steam Modak
20. Take 2 to 2.5 cups water in a pot, pressure cooker or a Moment Pot steel embed. Place a trivet or a rack. Heat the water till begins to bubble on a high intensity.
For moment pot, utilize the sauté choice and let the water start to bubble.
21. I have stacked two prospects 16 modak. Yet, you can likewise steam the modak in discrete clumps.
Make sure to cover the molded modak with a sodden muslin or cotton napkin before you start to steam.
Cover the container and steam modak for 10 to 15 minutes on medium-low intensity. Once steamed, sprinkle a couple of teaspoons on ghee on them in the event that you like.
Some modak may break while forming or steaming, however it is fine. You can excuse yourself assuming you are making modak interestingly.
The modak shouldn't feel tacky to contact when cooked impeccably. On the off chance that they look or feel tacky, steam them for a couple of moments more.
On the Moment Pot, utilize the steam capability on high strain for steaming and keep the steam vent in venting position with the goal that the steam discharges while steaming.
Utilize a stop watch to establish the point in time to 10 or 12 minutes. While the steaming is finished, lift the valve cautiously to eliminate any strain and afterward open the top.
Significant Note: On the off chance that you are making the Modak recipe as prasad or naivedyam, if it's not too much trouble, shun tasting the stuffing or the mixture.
Plan with absolute attention to detail, love and dedication and this prasad of modak will support everybody's inconspicuously. Utilize clean utensils and great quality fixings and set them up in a perfect and sterile way.
Master Tips
Rice batter: While making the Modak recipe, the most trickiest part for some is to get the right surface in the rice mixture. Assuming the batter is dry, you will find it hard to shape and the subsequent surface in the wake of steaming will be chewy and thick. The extent of rice flour to water I use turn out impeccably for a smooth and delicate mixture. Anyway note that relying upon the surface of rice flour, you might have to add a piece less or more water.
Stuffing: Overcooking the stuffing for this Modak recipe will bring about the jaggery become hard and chewy. In the event that this occurs, simply sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of boiling water in the blend and mix well. The boiling water will breakdown the hard consistency of the jaggery and make them delicate. You could in fact sprinkle a few water and cook the combination on low intensity until it relax.
Breaks in the batter: Less water will bring about the mixture being dry and having breaks. Assuming you add more oil or ghee than this will bring about the batter tearing when you shape it.
Smoothing and Forming: Don’t straighten the batter excessively slender or excessively thick. A dainty mixture will tear while molding and a thick batter will get some margin to cook and doesn’t taste charming.
Could modak be called as a momo?
In fact no, as both these are unique and are extraordinary in their own specific manner. One most significant variable that separates the two is that a modak will basically have a sweet filling while a customary momo has a flavorful or pungent filling.
Is there a South Indian assortment of the Ukadiche Modak?
There unquestionably is. The Kozhukattai can essentially be named as the South Indian variant of the Ukadiche Modak recipe.
While setting up the modaks, my jaggery blend solidified. How might I address it?
In the event that the jaggery blend solidifies, you can sprinkle some high temp water in it and blend. This will release the hardness in the combination.
How might I forestall the modaks from breaking opening while at the same time steaming?
In the event that the external mixture becomes dry, the modaks can air out while steaming. Ensure that the modaks are not dry subsequent to being formed and ought to constantly be covered with a spotless kitchen towel. You should likewise keep the mixture covered with a top or a kitchen towel.
I couldn't shape the modaks appropriately. Why so?
This can be because of less water in the rice batter. In this way, 2 to 3 teaspoons or a greater amount of warm water can be added to the batter and massaged again till smooth.
Assuming that fine breaks show up while molding, simply touch your fingers with some water and shape. The breaks will disappear.
Additionally, make a point to massage the batter well indeed. While smoothing the batter balls, you can sprinkle a few drops of water on your palms or fingers and afterward level.
What might I at any point use instead of poppy seeds?
You can utilize watermelon seeds or sesame seeds. You could actually make the modaks with next to no of these seeds.
Is it conceivable to make these modaks a day ahead of time? How to store for this situation?
Indeed, you can set up the modaks ahead of time and store. Keep them in a dish or in a sealed shut steel box. Make a point to cover the case firmly and afterward refrigerate. Like this, you can store the modaks for 2 to 3 days.
Might I at any point utilize dry coconut powder or dried up coconut rather than new ground coconut?
Indeed, you can. Yet, recall, the dry coconut/parched coconut-jaggery combination will get some margin to cook when contrasted with the new coconut-jaggery blend. The taste will likewise be different in both.
Ganpati bappa morya ❤️ ✨
