Ganesh Chaturthi Special: Healthy Modak recipe

Find out how healthy and sweet modaks believed to be enjoyed by Lord Ganesha himself are made.

Written By: Agencies | Updated : September 26, 2013 5:27 PM IST

Modak is a sweet dumpling stuffed with a filling of coconut and jaggery. Famous in western and South India.

Makes 6 modaks.

Ingredients

1 cup rice flour (chawal ka atta)
1 cup water
1 tsp oil
oil for greasing
a pinch of salt

For the filling

1 cup grated jaggery (gur)
1 cup grated fresh coconut
1/2 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
1 1/2 tbsp ghee

Method

For the filling, in a non-stick pan, add grated coconut and jaggery and cook over a slow flame till the jaggery melts and the mixture comes together. Add the cardamom powder and mix well.
In another non-stick pan boil the water. Add 1 teaspoon oil and a little salt in the boiling water and stir. Reduce the flame, add the rice flour while stirring continuously.
Whisk well so that no lumps remain. Cover with a lid and keep aside for about 5 minutes.
Grease your palms with a little oil and knead the dough while it is still warm; if the dough cools it will get lumpy, if it is not kneaded. You could even use a hand blender to knead the dough.
Make even size small balls of the dough (2 inch in diameter) using oil. Then roll each of them into a round shape, 3 " in diameter.
Make 8 to 10 folds in rolled dough with 1 cm. distance in between. To make a fold pinch the outer line of rolled dough a little bit ahead making 1-2 mm thick fold.
Add a spoonful of the filling into the dough.
Bring all the ends together and press to seal. Prepare a steamer by adding water, a teaspoon of oil and heat it till the water comes to a boil. While the water is simmering, place the modaks on a greased steamer plate and steam for 6 to7 minutes.
Once the modaks are cooked they will turn translucent. Serve hot drizzled with pure ghee.

Here is the original recipe source: Healthy modak recipe by Tarla Dalal

Add The Health Site as a Preferred Source