Celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi with healthy ukadiche (steamed) modak

Ukadiche/Ukdiche/Steamed modak is a traditional and classic Maharashtrian (Kokan) recipe usually made on the first day of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival as an offering to the Lord Ganesh. This sweet dumpling is prepared from rice flour stuffed with freshly grated coconut, jaggery and flavored with cardamom or nutmeg.

There are many varieties of modaks like the fried ones with coconut stuffing or puran but the ukadiche modaks are the most loved ones. Everyone has their style of altering the stuffing according to their choice or tradition. But the coconut and jaggery filling is the authentic one. Getting the perfect shape of modaks requires some practice and experience. Beginners can use the moulds available in the market to get the right shape.

Let's check out the recipe.

Ingredients:

For Stuffing

1. 1 bowl of freshly grated or desiccated coconut
2. 3/4 th bowl of jaggery (Adjust according to taste)
3. 3 tbsp ghee
4. 1 tbsp poppy seeds (khus khus)
5. 1 tsp cardamom (elaichi) or nutmeg powder
6. 1-2 tbsp chopped dry fruits
7. 8-9 saffron strands (optional)

For Mould

1. 2 bowls of rice flour
2. 1 bowl milk
3. 1 bowl water
4. 1 tsp salt

Servings: 10-12 modaks

Cuisine: Maharashtrian | Indian

Total time: 30-40 mins

Method

You can check out the video recipe here -

Stuffing preparation

1. Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in a pan.
2. Add 1 tbsp poppy seeds and saute till they turn golden.
3. Add 3/4 th bowl of jaggery. You can adjust it according to your sweet buds.
4. Add cardamom/nutmeg powder. Nutmeg powder goes nicely with jaggery. I did not have nutmeg powder at home during this preparation so I have used cardamom powder.
5. Add chopped dry fruits of your choice. This is optional.
6. Stir well and cook the mixture on medium flame till the moisture evaporates. Do not overcook the mixture otherwise, it will harden.
7. Stuffing is ready. Keep it aside and let it cool down.

Modak preparation

1. In a wide pan, heat 1 bowl of milk.
2. Pour 1 bowl of water into it.
3. Add 1 tbsp ghee. This will ensure the mould becomes smooth.
4. Add 1 tsp of salt.
5. Stir well.
6. Add 2 bowls of rice flour.
7. Keep on mixing continuously to avoid lumps. The mixture begins to solidify.
8. Cover it for 2 mins.
9. After 2 minutes remove the cover and transfer the mixture in another wide container.
10. Allow the dough to cool for a minute. Apply water to your palms and knead the dough quickly. If the dough cools down completely, you won't be able to get a smooth and perfect dough.
11. Take a small piece of dough.
12. Make a smooth ball.
13. Apply some water and ghee on your palms.
14. Flatten the ball. Make the sides thin.
15. By slowly pressing the center, make a bowl shape to accommodate stuffing.
16. Add 1 tbsp of filling.
17. Make petals with the help of your thumb and index finger. Check out the video for more details.
18. Join the edges by bringing all the petals together.
19. Similarly, prepare the rest of the modaks. If you find this process difficult you can use moulds which are available in the market.

Steaming

1. Grease a plate with ghee/oil.
2. Place the modaks on the plate.
3. Put the plate over a stand.
4. In a cooker, heat 1 cup of water and place the stand into it.
5. Steam for 5-7 minutes. Over steaming may break the modaks.
6. Switch off the flame.

Voila! Soft, delicious, and healthy modaks are ready to be served. In 1 tbsp of hot water, add some saffron strands, mix them well and pour little on each modak to make them look more attractive.

Tastes best when consumed on the same day. They can be stored for 2 days in a refrigerator.

Tips:

1. Preparing a perfect dough is the trickiest part. Using the right proportion of water and milk is a must. If the dough is dry, add some water and ghee and knead till it gets smooth.
2. Do not overcook stuffing otherwise it will get hard. If your stuffing is hard, add 1-2 tbsp of hot water and mix well.
3. To prepare rice flour at home, soak rice (preferred type Ambemohar) for 4-5 hours in the water, dry it for 3-4 days, and grind it finely.