Modak – Recipe

Modak is a rice based sweet dumpling that is popular in Southern and Western India. It is called modak in modhaka or vellai kozhukattai in Tamil, modak in  Marathi / Konkani, kudumu in Telugu and kadubu in Kannada. It is considered Lord Ganesha’s favourite dish and finds a place in Ganesh Chaturthi puja offerings.

Each region adds a slight variations to the modak, though the basics remain the same. Here is a recipe of Modak the way we prepare at our home. Yes, the dumplings vary in shape too, though at our home is simple ball in shape.

Ingredients to make modak

• Rice flour – 1 1/4 cup
• Chana dal – 200 gm
• Jaggery (shredded) – 1 cup
• Dry ginger powder (for flavour)
• Cardamom – 5-6
• Sugar – 1-2  tsp
• Salt – a pinch
• Gheer – 2 tsp

How to make the filling for Modak

Step 1: Soak the chana dal for 30 minutes

Step 2: Pressure cook the soaked channa dal and drain the excess water if any.

Step 3: Shred the jaggery.

Step 5: In a pan mix both the cooked channa dal and jaggery and heat it medium flame.Add dry ginger powder, elachi (cardamon).

The jaggery would melt and the contents thicken.

Step 6: Remove the thick filling from the stove. At this consistency, it would be easy to make dumplings

Step 7: Made round balls out of the filling as show in pic below. Keep the filling balls aside and now lets made the outer covering for the modak.

Making of Modak

Step 8:

Take the rice flour in a pan and add 1 or 2 tsp of sugar, pinch of salt and  2 tsp of ghee.

Add hot water into the flour and mix it immediately to the consistency of roti dough.

Step 9:

Make rice balls out of the dough.

Step 10:

Flatten the rice ball.

Keep the filling in the centre.

Wrap it into a dumpling.

Step 11: Modak balls are ready to be steamed.

Step 12: Steam cook the modaks.

Delicious modak is ready to be served.