This Ganesh Chaturthi, try this healthy dates and khus-khus modak recipe

Festivals are typically a time for indulgences, both sweet and spicy! On Ganesh Chaturthi, which falls this year on September 10, people traditionally offer modak – a sweet dumpling – to Lord Ganesha as it is considered one of his favourite desserts. But who says sweets cannot be healthy?

A typical modak has a sweet filling made of freshly grated coconut and jaggery, with an outer soft shell made of rice flour or wheat flour mixed with maida. A modak may be steamed or fried, but these days, sweet shops are also full with a mava variety, which is made out of khoya. They are simply shaped like dumplings and are available in a variety of options.

modak
Modaks are available in a wide variety in the market. Here’s one with almonds and pistachios. Image courtesy: ACTIVeat

Chef Amit Jham, Co-Founder of ACTIVeat, has shared this interesting recipe of a healthy version of modak that you can easily prepare at home and gorge on without worrying about weight woes. The diabetic-friendly recipe includes the sweetness of dates, and the crunchiness of khus-khus.

What are we waiting for then? Let’s jump to the recipe!

Recipe for Dates and Khus-khus Modak (10 pieces)

Ingredients – Quantity in grams

  • Dates Fresh – 100
  • Almond – 25
  • Cashewnut – 25
  • Walnut – 25
  • Raisins 25 –
  • Coconut Dry – 25
  • Poppy seeds – 7.5
  • Ghee (Cow) – 7

Method

  • Roast all nuts in ghee individually and coarsely crush them
  • Make paste of the seedless dates
  • Combine all the above ingredients together to form a dough and mould it into modak
  • Garnish with poppy seeds

Also Read: From gut health to fighting diabetes, here are 8 reasons why you should include dates in your diet

modak
Healthy sweets are for real. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

Nutritional value – Calories per piece

  • Protein – 1.9
  • Carbs – 7
  • Fats – 6.4
  • Total Calories – 94kcals

With no added sugar, and naturally sweetened, this modak is sweet enough for diabetics, and packed with healthy fats.