Ganesh Chaturthi is a grand festival of India which is widely celebrated in all over the country mainly in Maharashtra and Karnataka. It is a ten-day long occasion which is devoted to Lord Ganesha. This year it will begin on 19th September and the whole country is ready to welcome Bappa with flowers, hymns of the Lord Ganesha’s praise and prasad.
Some popular delicacies for prasad or bhog are motichoor ke laddoo, shrikhand, puran poli and the classic modak. Talking particularly about modak, these dumplings are Ganpati’s favourite sweet and are made with flour, coconut and jaggery. Apart from the traditional recipe there are many unique avatars of this beloved treat.
If you are also looking for unique modak varieties to relish on Ganesh Chaturthi, here are two recipes for you:
Peanut And Jam Modak
By Chef Ashish Singh, Corporate Chef, Dhansoo Café, Gurugram
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 50 g peanut butter
- 40 g jaggery
- 10 g green cardamom powder
- 100 ml water
- ½ tbsp salt
- 100 g rice flour
- 50 g fruit jam
Method
- Take a large bowl, add peanut butter and fruit jam and mix it well. Now add ½ tsp cardamom powder and mix well. The stuffing is ready. Keep it aside.
Modak dough preparation:
- Firstly, in a large kadai take 2 cups of water, salt and ghee. Mix well and bring the water to a boil. Further add 2 cups of rice flour and mix gently.
- Mix until the rice flour absorbs all the water. Cover and rest for 5 minutes. Now transfer to a large bowl and start to knead the dough.
- Knead for 5 minutes or until the dough turns soft. Now wet your hand and knead if the dough seems dry.
Modak shaping with hand:
- Firstly, take a ball sized rice flour dough and flatten it. With the help of both thumbs start pressing the edges and create a dent in the center.
- Slowly press from edges till it forms a cup. Start creating pleats with your index finger and thumb.
- Now scoop a tablespoon of prepared peanut butter and fruit jam mixture to it and close the modak properly. Your peanut and jam modak is ready.
Paan Gulkand Modak
By Chef Kush Koli, Head Chef, SAGA, Gurugram
Ingredients:
- 1 cup desiccated coconut
- 1/2 cup condensed milk
- 4 betel leaves
- 4-5 teaspoons gulkand
- 1 tbsp dry fruits powder
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds powder
- 2 tbsp tutti frutti
- 1 teaspoon ghee
- Green food colour
- 1 cup desiccated coconut for rolling
Method
- Pulse 2 chopped paan leaves and condensed milk till both are well combined. Finely chop the remaining 2 paan and add to the mixture. Mix well. Keep it aside.
- Heat ghee in a pan on medium heat. Add desiccated coconut and roast for 2-3 minutes on medium-low heat stirring continuously.
- Add the paan mixture to the pan and combine well. Add a few drops of green food colour at this point, if required.
- Mix well, once the mixture is thick, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. For stuffing, mix gulkand, dry fruits powder, fennel seeds powder and tutti frutti.
- Grease palms with little ghee, take small portion of the paan mixture and place in modak mold. Fill gulkand mixture at centre and press the mold.
- Open the mold and transfer it to the serving plate. Do until paan mixture is completed. Paan gulkand modak is ready to be served. Enjoy!