Ganesh Chaturthi Special: Chefs Share Out-Of-The-Box Modak Recipes

Ganesh Chaturthi is a 10-day-long festival, which is celebrated in the Hindu religion with sheer joy and devotion. The devotees pray to Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity all across the country. Amongst all sweets and dishes offered as Prashad to Lord Ganesha, modak being the favourite of the Lord is made in almost every Indian household.

Chef Dibyendu Roy’s Tarvati Kokum And Goan Chilli Modak From Taj Fort Aguada

Ingredients:

For the base:

• 1 cup Sweetened Mawa
• 1 tsp ghee
• A pinch of sea salt

For the Filling:

• 1 cup grated coconut
• 1/2 cup jaggery (grated)
• 1 tbsp kokum gel (kokum glee) (For stuffing like ganache)
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• 2 tbs Tarvoti chilli
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds (optional)
• 1 tbsp chopped nuts (optional)

Instructions:

Prepare the Base:

1. Add ghee in kadhai.
2. Add mawa gradually, stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
3. Cover and cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly. Knead into a smooth dough while it's still warm adding sea salt

Prepare the Filling:

1. In a pan, add grated coconut and jaggery. Cook on medium heat until the jaggery melts and blends with the coconut.
2. Add kokum glee (reserve half), cardamom powder, poppy seeds, and chopped nuts burned crushed Travoti chilli. 
3. Mix well and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Let the filling cool.

Shape the Modaks:

1. Grease your hands with a little ghee. Take a small portion of the dough and shape it into a ball.
2. Flatten the ball into a small disc and place a spoonful of the filling in the centre.
3. Carefully bring the edges together to seal and shape into a modak using a mould.
4. Place the modaks in add stuffing and in the centre reserved kokum glee.

Also Read: Ganesh Chaturthi 2024: Top 7 Besan Sweets To Celebrate The Festival In Style

Chef Somnath’s Ukadiche Modak From Taj Holiday Village

Ingredients:

For the dough cover:

• 1 cup rice flour
• 1.5 cup water
• 1 tablespoon ghee or oil
• A pinch of salt

For the sweet stuffing:

• 1 cup freshly grated coconut
• 1 cup finely chopped jaggery
• 6 to 7 green cardamoms
• Nutmeg or kewda essence (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds
• 1 tablespoon ghee
• 1 tablespoon rice flour.

Instructions:

For the filling:

1. Heat ghee in a pan keeping heat to a low add poppy seeds and fry it till it starts crackling. 
2. Add grated fresh coconut, jaggery, cardamom powder and grated nutmeg/kewda.
3. Mix well and cook this coconut-jaggery mixture on low heat. 
4. Keep stirring this mixture while on fire till the jaggery first melts and then begins to dry. 
5. Approx. cooking time of 7 to 8 minutes. 
6. Turn off the heat and remove the pan from the hot stove.
7. Set it aside to cool. Remember, this mixture will turn sweeter and thicker in the cooling process.

For the Dough:

1. In a pan add water, oil or ghee and salt and heat it. reduce the heat and add the rice flour gradually. Quickly stir and mix the flour with the water. 
2. Stir till all the rice flour is mixed with the water evenly. 
3. Remove from heat and cover with a lid for 4 to 5 minutes. 
4. Gather the dough and knead it with light hands. Make small balls, and roll them well between your palms so that no cracks remain. Cover it with a cloth and let it sit.

Shaping the Modak without mould:

1. Take a ball of the dough and flatten it with your fingers to a round disc or a shallow bowl shape applying ghee on your palms in the process. 
2. Place the sweet filling in the centre. Give it the shape you desire and press the edges. 
3. Bring together all the edges and join them. 
4. Remove the extra portion of the dough from the top, if any. Shape and taper the top of the modak with your fingers.

Steaming the modak:

1. Grease a steamer pan lightly with oil or ghee. 
2. Place the shaped modak in the greased pan with some space between them. Cover with a kitchen cloth. 
3. Take 2 to 2.5 cups water in a pot, pressure cooker or an Instant Pot steel insert. 
4. Place a trivet or a rack. Heat the water on high flame until begins to boil. The water should be hot or boiling when you place the modak in the large pan. 
5. Cover the pan and steam modak for 10 to 15 minutes on a medium-low heat. 
6. Once the ukadiche modak are steamed, you can drizzle a few teaspoons of ghee on them. If the modak feels sticky to touch steam for a few more minutes.
7. Modaks are ready to be offered to Lord Ganesha and then to your neighbours.

Chef Anshul Dhyani’s Millet & Dates Modak From ITC Grand Central, Mumbai

Ingredients:

• 250 grams Barnyard millet flour.
• 5 grams Salt
• 50 grams Pumpkin seeds
• 50 grams Melon seeds
• 50 grams Almond and Cashew powder
• 50 grams Dates powder
• 100 ml Water

Instructions:

1. First, roast millet flour on low heat for 5 minutes.
2. In a mixing bowl, add 100 ml boiling water and salt, and mix with ladle until you get a soft dough.
3. Add water if required.
4. Mix all the dry ingredients in the bowl.
5. Grease the modak mould with ghee.
6. Take your mould & stuff the millet ball in the mould.
7. Make a hole and add dry fruit filling.
8. Seal with a little more dough, gently open the mould and take it out.
9. Arrange the modak in a steamer for 15 minutes.
10. Serve it hot.

Chef Amandeep Singh’s Roasted Nuts Modak From The Westin Mumbai Garden City

Ingredients:

• 100 grams Black Jaggery 
• 100 ml Water
• 41 grams Ghee
• 75 grams Hazelnut
• 75 grams Pistachio 
• 70 grams Almond 
• 70 grams Cashew nut
• 58 grams Honey 
• Gold Leaves for garnishing

Instructions:

1. Roast and chop the hazelnut, pistachio, almond and cashew nuts.
2. Melt the jaggery with water in a pan and boil for 7-8 minutes till it reaches a thin thread consistency.
3. Add the chopped nuts to the Jaggery syrup, mix well and stir in the honey and ghee.
4. Allow the mixture to cool slightly then shape into Modaks.
5. Garnish with Gold leaf.