Modak Banane Ki Recipe: Easy Homemade Treat For Ganesh Chaturthi With Filling Variations

Modak is Bappa’s favorite treat, so it goes without saying that it is prepared for Ganesh Chaturthi. Looking like small potlis of joy, modak has many variations with different choices for filling and crust, but the core idea remains the same — hiding the sweetness inside. But what makes modak so special? The answer may not be explained in words, but you can feel it in every bite.

Unlike other Indian sweets, modak hits differently. It carries a surprise element with it by hiding the sweet filling inside. Until you take a bite out of it, you would never guess what filling is used. This is what keeps the curiosity lasting and makes the modak so interesting to have. Despite being so elegant and fascinating, making modak at home from scratch is pretty simple. You can use almost any flour to make the shell and filling, and cook it in various ways. From steaming to deep frying, there are many ways to cook modak as per your taste. Some days you want to enjoy the gooey satisfaction of steamed modak, and some days you want to experience the scrumptious, crunchy bite of fried modak. Every variation of modak is just satisfying and extremely comforting.

The best thing about making modak at home is that you can make it perfectly even if you are a beginner at cooking. Many filling options for modak do not require cooking, and you can make it just by combining the ingredients. Ingredients like dry fruits and nuts go best when making a no-cook filling. For cooked variations, mostly boiled pulses are used, which are mashed and combined with a sweetener. Apart from these obvious fillings, there are many more exotic and never-seen-before filling options for modak which are inspired by cuisines all around the world. This character of modak resembles the diverse and one-of-a-kind culture of India.

This recipe is a simple and beginner-friendly modak recipe which can be made by steaming, baking, air frying, or deep frying. The outer coating uses rice flour which tastes delicious no matter how you choose to cook it. For the filling, this recipe brings you more than one option so you can keep the surprise element when serving.

Easy Modak Recipe With Variations:

Ingredients for Ukadiche Modak (Steamed Modak):

For the outer dough:

• 1 cup rice flour
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp ghee (clarified butter)
• A pinch of salt

For the traditional filling:

• 1 cup freshly grated coconut
• ¾ cup jaggery (grated or chopped)
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tsp poppy seeds
• A few saffron strands

Method:

Step 1: Prepare the filling

Heat a pan on a low flame. Melt jaggery in it. You can use different sweeteners than jaggery as mentioned in the filling variations below the recipe. Once jaggery is melted, add grated coconut and mix. Cook for 5–7 minutes till the mixture thickens. Add cardamom powder and optional saffron/poppy seeds. Let the filling cool down completely.

Step 2: Make the dough

Boil 1 cup water in a separate pan with ghee and a pinch of salt. Once it starts boiling, add rice flour slowly while stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Cover and cook for 2–3 minutes on low flame. Transfer to a plate and knead it into a soft dough while still warm. Grease hands with a little ghee if needed. Cover with a damp cloth to keep it soft.

Step 3: Shaping and filling

Grease your hands and take a small ball of dough. Flatten it into a small disc or bowl shape using fingers, or you can also roll it using a rolling pin for uniform thickness. Add 1 spoonful of filling in the center. Carefully pinch the edges to make pleats and bring them together to seal the top like a potli. If you have a modak mould, grease it with butter or ghee and stuff the dough and filling into it for easier shaping.

Step 4: Cook Modak

Place all modaks in a steamer or an idli cooker lined with banana leaves or a cloth. Steam for 10–12 minutes on medium heat. You’ll know they’re done when the outer layer turns slightly shiny and translucent. You can also cook it by deep frying, baking, or air frying for different variations.

Filling Variations To Try For Modak:

1. Dry Fruit Filling: Combine various dry fruits like crushed cashews, almonds, and raisins with khoya and sugar.
2. Chocolate Modak: Bring a continental touch with cocoa powder and sugar mixture combined with grated coconut. You can also use melted chocolate.
3. Date and Nut Modak: Blended dates work as a natural sweetener and taste better than jaggery with its deep flavor. Combine blended dates with chopped nuts of your choice and use it as a filling.
4. Mawa Modak: Combine roasted khoya with sugar, cardamom, and saffron for a simple mawa filling.
5. Fruit Modak: Bring a fruity touch with seasonal fruits. Dice the fruits into small pieces and cook it with sugar to make a compote or a pulp then use it as a filling.