MODAK

‘Modak’ is the offering for Lord Ganesha throughout India. The filling is usually made out of coconut and jaggery. The South Indians make ‘modakam’ – more popularly known as ‘kozhakkattai’ - using rice flour for the outer covering and steam them. The Maharashtrians use maida / wheat flour for the outer covering and deep-fry them – some of them also make ‘ukdicha modak’ – similar to the South Indian variety.

                                           

Makes 10 modaks

Ingredients

For the covering 

1. Maida – 1 cup
2. Fine rawa – 1 tbsp
3. Salt – a pinch
4. Heated oil / ghee – 4 tsps
5. Oil for frying

Filling 

1. Coconut – finely grated – 1 cup
2. Jaggery – ½ cup
3. Ghee – 1 tsp
4. Cardamom powder – ½ tsp

Method

Dough 

1. Mix maida, rawa, and a pinch of salt well.
2. Add 4 tsps of heated ghee / oil to the mixture and mix well.
3. Add a little warm water and knead into a tight dough and set aside for 15 minutes.

Filling 

1. Heat ¼ cup of water in a kadhai and add jaggery. Stir well till jaggery has dissolved.
2. Strain off the impurities and heat the syrup again.
3. Add grated coconut and continue to stir on medium heat till it thickens a bit. Turn off the heat.
4. Add a tsp. of ghee and cardamom powder, mix well and allow to cool.

Making modaks 

1. Divide the dough into 10 equal portions.
2. Dip each little ball in ghee / oil and roll into a small puri. (It should not be very thin).
3. Place 1 tsp of the coconut filling in the centre.
4. Bring up the edges bit by bit – forming pleats as you do so – and collect it at the top. Dip your finger in water and smoothen the top part, making sure there are no cracks anywhere.
5. Repeat with the other dough balls.
6. Heat oil in a kadhai and deep fry the modaks – 3 or 4 at a time, gently turning them when light golden brown.
7. When they are uniformly done, drain off on to a tissue.
8. The ‘modaks’ are ready for offering to Ganesha.

Tips

1. If the puris are thin, the jaggery of the filling might leak into the oil and turn into black particles. Cracks in the modaks will result in the same. Watch the modaks as they are being fried – if you find any opening, quickly remove it from the oil, try to close it up and continue to fry.  

© Copyright 2011. Brinda Balasubramonian.