Delicious Steamed Modak Recipes for Ganesh Chaturthi featuring jaggery and dates

If you’re looking for a low-calorie version of Modaks, you may want to stay away from them as they are soulless without ghee. We do have a slightly healthier version, though, for which we cut out heavy sugar, but it still has substantial calories owing to the natural sugars from its ingredients and from ghee. We encourage you to try both and offer them as Ganesh Chaturthi prasad. Gather your modak recipe ingredients and get cooking, kneading and steaming a batch of ghee-rich Ukadiche Modak.

Ukadiche Modak Recipe

(Makes 10 Modaks)

Ingredients

• 60 gm all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp ghee
• A pinch of salt
• For the filling
• 45 gm fresh coconut (grated) or desiccated coconut
• 50 gm jaggery, grated
• 1 tbsp spice powder (cardamom, saffron, and pistachio)

Instructions

1. In a pot, pour ½ cups of water, sprinkle a pinch of salt and 1 tsp of ghee and on medium heat, bring to a boil.
2. Once the water boils, turn off the heat and add the flour to the pot and mix well. You will end up with a lumpy and sticky mixture. Cover it, and set aside for it to cool.
3. Make the filling next, take a nonstick pan and heat the ghee until it melts. Then add grated fresh coconut and jaggery. Mix with a spatula and cook for several minutes, to have a well combined mixture. Add the spice mix next and mix again to evenly distribute into the filling.
4. Remove from heat and let it cool, while you knead the dough for the Modak shell and stuff it with the coconut and jaggery filling.
5. Transfer the flour into a plate and knead it well, by adding water and ghee as needed to form a smooth, elastic dough.
6. Before you prepare the modak, get the steamer filled with water and put it on the stove to heat on high, and ready for the Modak bunch.
7. Grease another plate, and divide the dough into 10 pieces, shaping each into balls. Then for each dough ball, create a well in the center, and roll it into a cup shape around 3-4 inches in size.
8. Add the filling in the center, and draw the edges to the center and twist the top to seal each Modak.
9. Neatly arrange the modaks on the steamer plate, grease the plate so the Modaks don't stick to it. Let them steam for approximately 15 minutes. To check, carefully open the lid, letting the steam escape first, then poke with a finger to check if they are sticky. They are done once the stickiness disappears.
10. Serve as an offering to Lord Ganesh and distribute among your loved ones.

Ukadiche Modak Recipe (Healthy)

(Makes 10 Modaks)

For the dough:

• 320 ml water
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ghee
• 175 gm rice flour, sifted

For the filling:

• 2 tsp ghee, heaped
• 60 gm chopped nuts and raisins (cashew+almonds)
• ¼ tsp poppy seeds
• 85 gm dates, finely chopped
• 65 ml milk
• 65 gm milk powder, full cream
• 25 gm fresh coconut, grated
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder

Instructions

1. Heat water, salt and ghee in a thick bottom pot, bringing it to a boil. Once the water boils, add the rice flour and use a long spoon or stirrer, to mix, so you have a lump-free mixture. It’s okay if your dough is dry-ish.
2. Turn off the heat, cover the pot and let it rest for 4-5 minutes. Then move it to a mixing bowl and while it’s still hot carefully knead to form a smooth and elastic dough. Let it rest.
3. To make the filling, heat 1 teaspoon of ghee in a nonstick pan and as it melts, fry the chopped nuts with the milk powder and poppy seeds first. Shift to the side, then add the rest of the ghee, let it melt and then add the rest of the ingredients, saving the milk and cardamom powder.
4. Cook all the ingredients pour milk and mix until you have a lump-free mixture. Add the cardamom powder once the whole mixture comes together and mix. Take off the heat.
5. Prepare the Modaks by greasing a mold, adding a little dough to it followed by a bit of the filling in the center and more dough to cover the filling. Press the mold to form a Modak. Repeat until the filling and the dough are used up.
6. Prepare the steamer, pour water into and keep it on high heat.
7. Once the steamer is hot, place the Modaks in the plate inside and steam for 10 minutes. They will be done once they develop a shiny sheen on them.
8. Offer these Modaks to Lord Ganesh and later distribute as prasad.