Ukadiche Modak

How to make Ukadiche Modak 

Today is the first day of Ganesh festival. Ganpati the God of wisdom is very fond of Modak. Ganesh festival is celebrated across India but in Maharashtra the prasad(sweets) offered to the God is Modak. Modak is nothing but sweet rice dumplings. There are various ways these modaks are made. I guess Ukadiche modak is the dessert supremacy as it is super delicious and needs a lot of practice and patience. Guess that's the message Ganpati wants to send :-) Usually anything that's offered to Ganapati during pooja is in the count of 21.  Bappa bestow your blessings on all the modak lovers !!!

Here is what we need -

• 2 cup rice flour
• 1 & 1/2 half cup water
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cup grated coconut
• 1 cup jaggery
• 1 tbs cardamom powder
• pinch of salt
• ghee/clarified butter/oil

What's Next -

First lets prepare stuffing-

In a heavy bottom pan take coconut and jaggery. In 10 minutes the jaggery will start to melt and incorporate with coconut. Add cardamom powder. switch off the stove. Let the mixture cool off.
Some people like to add cashews or poppy seeds to it. If you want to add it dry roast poppy seeds and add. similarly you can slightly saute cashews on the ghee and add.

The most important step in this recipe is preparing a perfect dough. the proportions should be followed as given and do not eyeball it.
In a heavy bottom pan take 1/2 cup of water. Add 1 cup of milk to it. Bring this to boil. Add 1 spoon ghee or clarified butter or oil and a pinch of salt. Immediately add rice flour. Mix the mixture well using spatula. Cover the pan for 5 minutes. Give it a good mix. Again cover it for another 5 minutes.
Immediately take out the mixture in the plate and start kneading. Since it needs to be kneaded when hot its challenging. I used small steel vessel to kneed. Kneed well and make a very soft dough; that's the key to making modaks. you can sprinkle some water if required.

once the dough is ready make lemon size balls. We have to make a petal shape. I remember my grandma used to make 21 petals it needs a lot of practice. I couldn't get 21. my highest was 10. well to make this the trick is give cylindrical shape to the dough ball you have taken and insert thumb into it. slowly slowly start shaping it up as a small bowl. try to make as thin as you could. stuff a spoonful of batter in it. Do not over stuff as it makes your job difficult. Then start making petals by pinching at the sides of the dough bowl you just made. See in the picture above. try to make as many petals as you can. start with 5-6 that's a good number to start with.

Keep all the dumplings ready. These dumplings are steamed. In a big pot take water at the bottom level. grease the sieve. I used my idli stand and steamed it in a big cooker without whistle. make sure these dumplings don't stick to each other while steaming. Place it on medium heat. If you using a sieve see to it that it perfectly hangs on the edges of the pot. Cover and cook it for about 10 minutes.

Take the sieve out and let it cool off.

Serve with a spoonful of ghee on top of each modak. Back home its served on banana leaf.

This must be one of the healthiest dessert I have ever eaten.

Ganapati Bappa Morya!!