Ukdiche Modak

Ukdiche Modak is a classic traditional prasad offered to Lord Ganesh. Every year the Ganesh Festival is celebrated for 11 days in India. We believe that Ukdiche modak is Ganapati Bappa’s (Lord Ganesh) favorite dish. The modaks are generally of two types. Fried and steamed. Fried modaks are prepared with wheat flour and steamed modaks are prepared with rice flour. This is a steamed modak recipe. The modaks are a bit difficult to make and also time consuming. But when you put one in your mouth, the combined taste of the of rice flour along with the sweet taste of stuffing is mouth watering. I am sure you will want to eat more and more. The modaks are generally served with clarified butter.

Ingredients For Stuffing:

Ingredients For Cover:

Ukdiche Modak

Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Indian
Servings 25 People

Ingredients
  

For Stuffing:

  • 4 Cup Grated Fresh Coconut
  • 2 1/2 Cup Jaggery
  • 1/2 Cup Sugar
  • 1 Tsp Cardamom Powder

For Outside Cover:

  • 4 Cup Rice Flour
  • 4 Cup Water
  • 4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
  • 3-4 Tbsp Oil
  • Salt

Instructions
 

Stuffing:

  • In a kadhai, mix grated fresh coconut, jaggery, sugar. Keep it on a medium heat and stir continuously until all the jaggery and sugar is melted and everything is mixed together.
  • Stir continuously otherwise the jaggery will burn. It will take around 15-20 minutes until everything is mixed well and the stuffing is a little bit dry.
  • Let it cool. Mix cardamom powder.

Cover:

  • In a pot heat water with unsalted butter. When the water starts to boil and the butter is melted, turn off the burner. Add rice flour and mix well. Keep it covered for 10 minutes. 
  • The mixture will look a bit dry.
  • After 10 minutes, knead it to a smooth dough adding water and oil. Keep the extra dough covered all the time. This will prevent the drying of dough.
  • Make a small ball around 2 inch diameter. 
  • Make a flat puri with your fingers. 
  • Add around 1/2 tbsp of stuffing.
  • Close the modak by pinching the sides and combining it together.
  • Prepare 1 batch of modak to be steamed.
  • Line the steamer dish with thick plastic sheet. In a steamer add water and heat it. When the water starts to boil, place prepared modaks on the plate and steam it for 15 minutes on medium heat.
  • Cook all the modaks likewise.

Notes

Unsalted butter helps to keep the dough soft.
Lining of steamer dish with plastic sheet will prevent sticking of the modaks to the plate. This measurement will make around 50 modaks.
Generally the first batch takes around 15 minutes to cook. Once the steamer gets hot the second batch onwards will take around 10 to 12 minutes. Open the lid of the steamer and gently touch the modak with your finger and if it is not sticking to the finger that means it is cooked.