Ukdiche Modak Recipe for Ganesh

An Indian steamed rice dumpling stuffed with jaggery and coconut!

A Gluten-free highlight of the festival Ganesh Chathurthi! The festival is celebrated in honour of Lord Ganesh. Modaks are said to be his favourite and are often the most popular “prasad,” an offering. It is a healthy and delicious sweet dish that’s perfect for the season. You can also watch the video!

Ukdiche Modak and deep-fried Modak are traditional offerings to the Lord. The other sweets you may like are Kann, Mangane, Rava ladoo, Besan ladoo to name a few.

Contents:

• Ukdiche Modak and me
• Why the MSK recipe for Ukdiche Modak?
• How to make the Ukdiche Modak Recipe
• For your questions
• Some other delicacies
• Recipe Card
• Pin For Later

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Ukdiche Modak and me

Ukdiche modak has a special place in my heart. Every year, without fail, my daughter Akanksha and I would make these together. It was noisy and messy, but we’d always end up giggling at the shapes we managed to pull together. It also helped that over the years we actually got good at them. This time was always one of my favourites. 

Bhadrapada Chathurthi is when we welcome Gajmukh Ganpathi into our homes and hearts. Since he loves Modak an offering called prasad of 21 modaks is customary. The story about why 21 you can check here. This prasad is then distributed among the devotees.

I am redoing and updating this old recipe dated 29th August, 2014 for SEO and to replace my pictures

Why the MSK recipe for Ukdiche Modak?

You can choose so many recipes to make Modak, especially Ukdiche Modak but as I said over the years I have seen all the wins and fails while making these yum dumplings. I am sharing them as tips and methods. Plus the usual these are

• Steamed
• Light for digestion
• Vegan
• Gluten-free
• Healthy

• Ukdiche Modak and Fried Modak are traditional offerings to the Lord.
• The other sweets you may like are  Kann, Mangane, Rava ladoo, Besan ladoo to name a few.

A little about Modak…

Steamed modak and the fried modak are the traditional modak.

To make the steamed sweet dumpling the outer cover, the shell called paari, use fine rice flour. Rice flour is gluten-free and difficult to shape(if you need the tips fast scroll down to pro-tips). The experts, especially from Konkan, make it so thin that the paari is translucent. The modak looks better if it has more petals, called paakli. Again experts can make up to 21 paakli in one cup.

Practice and patience are what you need but once you pick the method it’s a satisfying job.

How to make the Ukdiche Modak Recipe:

To make Ukdiche Modak you need these ingredients listed below. The exact measure I have posted in the recipe card.

Ingredients:

For the cover of the dumpling called Ukad:

• rice flour
• water
• oil
• Salt to taste

For the Filling called Saran:

• jaggery 
• fresh coconut
• elichi/cardamom powder
• oil 

Optional ingredients:

• poppy seeds
• cashewnuts
• raisins
• chilli powder

Substitutes:

The only ingredient you can substitute here is jaggery use either sugar, palm jaggery. The colour of your filling will depend on the jaggery. Palm jaggery will give you a deep brownish colour.

Method:

How to make rice dough/ukad for the outer covering of modak?

• In a pan add water and oil. Add a little salt to taste. Bring the water to boil.
• Lower the flame Add rice flour. Switch off the flame. Mix with a wooden spoon or a spatula and cover it well. It is okay if there is dry flour in the mixture.
• After about half an hour, the dough mixture will be cooler and you can touch it. Transfer to a platform, mixing bowl or a parat (a wide plate with edges used for kneading dough)  and knead the mixture. If it is still hot or sticks to your hand, dip your hand in the water and knead. You can also apply a little oil to your hands.
• This is important so that you get a nice smooth and lump-free dough.
  

How To Make Stuffing For Ukadiche Modak?

• In a pan heat the coconut and jaggery. I prefer to mix the two and let it stand for an hour or so.  After some time the jaggery dissolves, mix well. Then cook on medium flame.
• The mixture comes together and the jaggery will melt completely. Stir and cook for a few minutes.
• You can add poppy seeds, raisins, cashew nuts and cardamom powder. I prefer to add chilli powder in a small part.   The rest I add cardamom powder.
• Mix and let the moisture evaporate. Remember it will keep cooking in the pan too, once cool,  the mixture should be semidry.
• It takes about 5-10 minutes depending on the batch size. More the filling the longer you will need to cook.
• Keep aside and let it cool down completely. Remember jaggery burns are more intense.

How to shape modak by hand?

• Grease your hand with oil. Take a small ball of dough.
• Make a smooth ball. Apply oil to your thumb and push in the ball and start pressing with your thumb and forefinger and smoothen out the cup.
• Gently press the cup and shape it in a thinner cup. In case the dough sticks to your fingers, apply a little oil.
• I start pinching the dough with my thumb and index finger start making pleats. Halfway through add a teaspoonful of the stuffing and finish making pleats. Make the pleats as close as you can the modak looks beautiful.
• To finish making the modak pinch the opening together. Seal the mouth of the modak.
• Keep the modak on a plate and keep covered until you make the rest.
  

2 ways to shape modak using moulds?

You can use the mould to shape your modak in 2 ways.

• Method 1
  • Keep some refined oil in a bowl ready as you will need it to grease the inside of the mould.
  • Depending on the size of the mould take a small ball and press it in the mould with your finger. The centre should remain hollow. Keep some of the flour overhanging outside the mould.
  • Add a teaspoon of the filling in the hollow.
  • Make a small disc of the dough and apply to the base. Press well but gently.
  • Open the mould and get the modak out for steaming. Keep it covered till you get a batch ready for steaming.
  • Repeat the process to finish all the dough and the filling.
    
• Method 2
  • Grease a Modak mould using very little oil.
  • Using your fingers and thumb make a cup.
  • Add the filling and close the opening then transfer it to the mould and close the mould. This method you need lesser dough and the modak tastes as good as the hand moulded ones.
    

How to steam sweet dumplings?

• If you have a steamer get it ready, I use a vessel on which a colander sits snugly. In the vessel, I add water and let it come to boil.
• Apply a little oil to the base of the colander. You can also lay a  small piece of banana leaf or turmeric leaf. Apply a little oil to the base of the modak and arrange the modak on the colander.
• Steam them for 15 minutes on medium heat.
• Once done remove from the tray and arrange the next lot on the colander.
• As the modak cook, they become more firm.
• Steamed modak is ready to offer to Lord Vignhesha.

How to serve Steamed Modak?

• Serve these steamed dumplings warm, drizzled with ghee.
• If you are vegan avoid the ghee, the modak tastes great without ghee too!

Storage:

• The steamed modak is perishable and the shelf life is 1 day.
• The fried ones have a shelf life of say 2-3 days.
• Like all food, Man has developed modern versions of modak. These are chocolate modak, mawa modak, Kesri modak, moonga dal modak, moti chur modak dry fruit modak to name a few. The modern modak has a shelf life of about a week. So when gifting use one of these.

For your questions:

Pro-tips to make better-steamed modak:

• Buy good quality fine rice flour from the shop or make your own rice flour. This is most essential to make a smooth dough called ukad. If your flour is coarse you will find it difficult to make the paari.
• Remember rice is gluten-free and it loses what little stickiness it has as it gets older.  With the older rice flour, it gets difficult to mould plus you need more oil.
• Add a teaspoon of oil/ghee to the boiling water you can get a smooth dough fast.
• Knead the dough when warm to a smooth dough. Do not let it cool it makes shaping very difficult.
• Keep the dough covered and use only a small part out.
• Make the filling in advance so that it cools down when you start making your modak. I make the stuffing a day in advance keeping it cool, soft and delicious. (Remember jaggery burns are more intense).
• Do not cook the filling a lot if it dries out the modak and it does not taste good.
• Steam the modak only for 15 minutes.

Frequently asked questions:

• Why should I use fresh rice flour to make the Modak?

  Not only fresh you need fine rice flour to make the Ukad or covering for modak. Fine as shaping these gluten-free dumplings is easier then. Rice flour is gluten-free so the stickiness decreases as the flour ages. Fresh flour will give you better results.

• How do I make rice flour at home?

  In a bowl add 2 cups of rice like Sona Masoori, Kolam is best. Add water to the rice, scrub the rice. Drain add more water and rinse again. Drain well and spread the rice on a cloth. Dry the rice in shade for 1 day or 2. Once the rice dries add to a mixer jar and grind to a fine powder. Sieve, and the coarse part you can grind again. Sieve.
  You can also get the flour ground in a flour mill. But take care they add rice over rice.

• Why am I unable to shape the rice dough?

  First, was the flour fresh? If it is older you will find it difficult to shape the dough.
  Second, have you kneaded the dough well? Take a small ball and knead it again before you shape. Use some oil to knead it if you still cannot shape it. Had your dough cooled down when you took it for needing? Lastly, do not lose heart I could never make them initially so keep practising.

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Some other delicacies:

You may also be interested in:

• Priya VJ is sharing her Raw Rice Idli
• Sujata Roy shared her Quick-Dry Fruits Coconut Modak
• Kalyani shares her Ammini Kozhukattai
• Priya Iyer has shared her No-Cook Fruit & Nut Modak
• Poonam has shared her 21 Veggie Stir-fry
• Preethi Prasad has shared Kondakadalai Sundal
• Mayuri has shared Gur na ladwa (churma laddoo)
• Lata Lala has shared Dalia Modak with Caramelised Fruits

Recipe Card:

Disclaimer: Please note these are approximate nutrition figures. You are requested to confirm with a qualified Dietitian.

Watch the video too…

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