Ukadiche Modak

Ganesh Chaturthi means a lot of things to a lot of people. Fun, festivities and relatives and friends coming together to pay obeisance to the God of good times. To me, it means one of my most favorite and loved recipes of all time... Ukadiche modak.

These were made by mom, though. Yet, even when I make them, this is the exact procedure I follow.

Sorry Naina for posting this recipe so late!  :-(

Ingredients
For the covering

• 250 g rice flour
• 250 ml water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vegetable oil

For the filling

• one large coconut grated
• equal quantity of jaggery (as the coconut)
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Others

• a steamer
• a few turmeric leaves 

Boil the water and add salt and oil to it. Once it has begun boiling add the rice flour to it and mix well. Remove from the heat and let it sit for some time till the dough cools down. Once it cools, knead well to make a smooth dough. Cover with a damp muslin cloth and set aside.

In a large wok, heat the coconut and jaggery together. Add the cardamom powder. Cook well till not only the jaggery as dissolved but the coconut emits a nice roasted aroma. Let the mixture cool.

Now make a large lemon sized ball of the dough and make a deep depression in the center of the ball. Put a teaspoon of stuffing in the center of the depression and shape the dough like a dimsum. Make all the modaks in this manner and cover them with a damp muslin cloth.

Start the steamer. Place turmeric leaves on the steamer tray. Dip each modak in cold water (this is a trick I learned from my mom, and it makes for really soft modaks) and place on the turmeric leaves. Cover the steamer and steam for about ten to fifteen minutes. Remove from the steamer.

(Tip: If you want to re-heat modaks, and make them soft again, just dip them in water and steam them for 3 minutes or dip them in water and microwave on high power for a minute.)

I do not have any pictures though. :-(

Happy Cooking!


Serve hot or cold. They taste amazing either way.