Ganesh Chaturthi is a much-loved Hindu festival. Families welcome Ganpati Bappa into their homes, prepare festive food, and carry out grand processions with faith and dance. In Maharashtra, the festival has a strong connection with modak, a sweet traditionally offered to Lord Ganesha. It has reached the entire country. The interesting fact is that there are several types of modak, like mawa modak, chocolate modak and coconut modak, and many more for the festive spread.
What Are the Ganesh Chaturthi Modak Recipes?
There are plenty of modak recipes you can make at home. But you can never replace the classic version of modak from a special place. Some use the traditional coconut-jaggery filling, while others use mawa, chocolate, dry fruits, or cake crumbs. You can steam, fry or set them in a mould.
1. Ukadiche Modak
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice flour
- 1 cup water
- 2 teaspoons ghee
- A pinch of salt
- 1 cup grated coconut
- 1 cup jaggery
- A pinch of nutmeg
- A pinch of saffron
- Cardamom powder, as needed
Method
You should start by cooking the coconut and jaggery together until the jaggery melts and the mixture thickens. Then you should add cardamom, nutmeg, and saffron, then let the filling cool.Beside it, boil water with ghee and salt. Add rice flour, which you need to mix until it forms a soft dough. Knead the dough while it’s warm. Take a small portion, flatten it into a thin cup, place the filling in the centre, and pleat the edges towards the top.
Steam the modaks for around 10 to 15 minutes. They are ready to serve warm with a little ghee.
2. Fried Modak
Ingredients
- 2 cups rice flour
- 1 cup water
- 4 tablespoons ghee
- 2 cups grated coconut
- 2 cups jaggery
- 4 tablespoons poppy seeds
- Cardamom powder
- Chopped cashews and raisins
- Oil for frying
Method
You should prepare the coconut, jaggery, poppy seed, cashew and raisin filling in a pan, and let it cool. On the other side, now you can make a soft dough with rice flour, water, salt and ghee. Roll small portions into thin discs. Place some filling in the centre, fold the edges upwards and seal the top.You should heat the oil on medium flame, and fry the modaks until they turn golden. It is important to keep the heat controlled, so the outer layer cooks properly before the filling gets too hot.
3. Mawa Modak
Ingredients
- 1½ cups milk powder
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons chopped cashews and almonds
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- Saffron milk
- 1 teaspoon ghee
Method
You should heat the ghee and milk in a pan, then add the saffron milk and milk powder. You need to cook it on low heat and keep stirring till it thickens and starts leaving the sides of the pan. Once it gets thickened, you should leave it to cool down slightly.Now, you have to add powdered sugar and cardamom, then knead into a soft mixture. Grease a modak mould, press the mixture inside, and put chopped nuts in the centre if you like. It’s a quick recipe.
4. Chocolate Modak
Another approach uses a chocolate shell. You have to melt chocolate, coat the inside of a modak mould, and then chill it until it becomes firm. Now, you have to add the filling, cover with more chocolate, and chill again. Children and anyone enjoy chocolate modak a lot. It is something different from the traditional coconut-jaggery flavour.
5. Kesar Modak
Kesar modak keeps the traditional recipe of Ukadiche modak alive. You only have to add saffron for a richer aroma.
Ingredients
- 200 g rice flour
- 150 ml water
- 150 g grated coconut
- 150 g jaggery
- Saffron
- Cardamom powder
- Roasted cashews
- Raisins
- Ghee
- A pinch of salt
Method
You have to add saffron to the water used for the rice-flour dough. And the rest will be the same.
6. Coconut Modak
Coconut modak takes the main ingredient of the classic filling and makes it the star. This means that the coconut is the primary element of this modak recipe in the classic recipe of Ukadiche modak.
Ingredients
- 2 cups desiccated coconut
- Condensed milk
- ¾ cup milk
- Ghee
- Cardamom powder, optional
Method
You should begin by heating ghee in a pan and lightly roasting the coconut. Now add condensed milk, then keep stirring till the mixture thickens. Let the mixture cool enough to handle. It is now time to grease a modak mould, press the mixture firmly inside, and remove the shaped modak.
7. Dry Fruit Modak
Ingredients
- Dates
- Dried figs
- Almonds
- Cashews
- Walnuts
- Pistachios
- Peanuts
- Sesame seeds
- Poppy seeds
- Desiccated coconut
- Raisins
- Dried apricots
- Cardamom
- Ghee
Method
The day you plan to make dry fruit modak, you should soak dates and figs the night before. Then grind them into a paste, and also grind the nuts separately and roast them lightly. You would need to roast the seeds and coconut as well.The time is to cook the date-fig paste in ghee. Add chopped raisins and apricots, which should be followed by the roasted nuts, seeds, coconut, and cardamom. Once the mixture cools enough to handle, you should press it into a greased modak mould. This version of modak skips the rice-flour shell and uses dried fruit for its sweetness.
8. Barfi Modak
Ingredients
- Kaju paste
- Khoya
- Sugar
- Milk
- Cardamom
- Saffron
- Chopped almonds
- Pistachios
- Ghee
Method
You have to cook kaju paste in ghee and add khoya and milk to it. Cook the paste till it thickens. Then, add sugar, saffron, cardamom, and chopped nuts to it. Once the mixture reaches a thick consistency, press it into greased modak moulds.Let them set before removing them from the mould. You get a soft, rich sweet with the familiar modak shape. This is also a good choice for people who enjoy kaju and khoya sweets.
9. Chocolate and Walnut Modak
If plain chocolate modak sounds too simple, chocolate and walnut is a good variation for a little twist.
Ingredients
- Cake crumbs
- Melted chocolate
- Chopped walnuts
- A little cream, if needed
- Modak moulds
Method
Here, you have to mix cake crumbs with melted chocolate and chopped walnuts. Then add a little cream if the mixture needs more moisture. Press the mixture tightly into a modak mould. Chill it until it gets firm, and then unmould it carefully. You can use dark chocolate for a stronger cocoa taste or milk chocolate for a sweeter version.
10. Modak Cake
You should try a modak cake for a different Ganesh Chaturthi modak recipe.
Ingredients
- Cake crumbs
- Fresh coconut
- Cardamom powder
- Caster sugar
- Chopped dry fruits
- Dark chocolate
- Modak moulds
Method
Let us start by breaking the cake into coarse crumbs. Now, mix the crumbs with coconut, cardamom, sugar, and dry fruits. The mixture should sit for about 10 minutes. After this, you should press the mixture into modak moulds by hand. Melt dark chocolate over a double boiler and dip the shaped modaks into it. You should allow the chocolate to set before serving.
Are There Any Tips for Trying Modak This Ganesh Chaturthi?
- In modak recipes that use rice-flour dough, the dough decides how fine modak can hold their shape. You need to keep it soft and knead it when it’s warm. Because cracks in the dough can cause the filling to leak.
- Ukadiche modak needs freshly grated coconut. Cook the coconut and jaggery mixture carefully and let it cool before filling the dough. NDTV Food recommends fresh coconut and careful cooking of the coconut-jaggery mixture for a good traditional result.
For mould-based varieties, grease the mould lightly before pressing in the mixture. Pack the mixture firmly, especially near the pointed top, then unmould gently.
You would like: Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Baking
Modak Recipes to Sweeten Your Ganesh Chaturthi Celebration
Newer versions of modak have made their way into festive kitchens. Food publications now feature everything from fried and mawa versions to chocolate, dry fruit and cake-based modaks. So this Ganesh Chaturthi, you can keep things traditional or set out a mixed platter. Whichever recipe reaches your pooja table, homemade modak will make the festival table complete.
