Name: Modaks- without mould ( Tips and Techniques ) recipe by Priyanka Bapardekar at BetterButter
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 5
Ingredients: Basmati Rice flour 1 1/2 cup; Water 1 1/2 Cup; Desi ghee 2 tsp; Salt a pinch; Grated coconut 1 1/2 cup; Grated jaggery 1 cup; Saffron a pinch; Nutmeg powder A pinch ( optional ); Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp

ABOUT Modaks- without mould ( Tips and Techniques ) RECIPE

Modak is a sweet which is mainly made as an offering to Lord Ganesha. Ukadiche Modaks are all time favourite of kids as well as elders too. Ukad means steamed rice flour and using this Ukad, these Modaks are prepared, which are filled with delicious stuffing of coconut and jaggery. I have learned to prepare these modaks from my Sister-in-Law. With learning some tips n techniques and with some efforts and practice we can prepare modaks without mould. Though it is time consuming but at the end result is worth and one can achieve the happiness of creativity. So friends, here I would like to share with u the entire process in detail step by step.

Instructions

Heat a heavy bottom vessel. Add jaggery and stir it on a low flame till it melts.
Add coconut, cardamom powder nutmeg powder and saffron. Stir till mixture gets dry. Switch off the gas and let it be cool.
Heat a nonstick pan. Add water, ghee and pinch of salt to it. when water starts to boil add rice flour.
Sir well with a spatulla. Cover it with a lid. pour little water on lid. Keep it on low flame ( simmer ) for 3 minutes.
Open the lid. With a help of spatula mash the flour in pan. Take care there should no lumps. switch off the gas.
Take all the dough in a plate.
When its warm or cool enough to handle start to knead the dough with 1 tsp oil. Make it smooth and lumpfree dough.
Take some raw rice flour in a dish or bowl. we are going to dust dough balls with this flour.
Take a small amount of dough ( about 1 tablespoon )and make a small ball out of it. Keep the rest dough covered. Dust the ball from all sides into raw rice flour, Dust your fingers also in rice flour.
Take ball into left hand. Press it by left thumb into centre like this. ( see the pic below )
Slowly rotate and go round by patting the ball,. We have to make it a deep bowl. Continue to press in centre with left thumb. At the same time, gentally pat it by right hands thumb and fingers to make it thin .
Take care to make bowls edges very thin. For this gentally press edges with right thumb and fingers like this. ( see the pic below )
Our bowl is ready which is thin from upper and thick in middle. ( Base of the bowl should be thick and rest bowl should be thin from all sides especially at the borders/edges. )
Put coconut stuffing with spoon in middle of bowl. Dont put more than half-bowlful as you won't be able to close in the edges properly if the stuffing is too much. Now using your thumb and first finger start pinching the little edges and make the petals/pleats. Plz see pic below :-
Make Petals/pleats as much near to each other. More the petals, more the modak will look elegant.
One more thing, press all petals till end ( bottom ) like this ( see the pic below )
Like this make all petals near to each other and try to make them till bottom as much as possible as shown in pic.
Gather carefully all the edges in the centre and push modak a little from below.
So that Modak will get a nice look of vertical shape,
Now seal it with a gentle hand.
Pinch a little on top to form a small peak.
Thus make all modaks. Pour 2 glasses of water in a heavy bottom vessel. keep a stainer on it. put banana leaves inside the stainer and place modaks on it leaving enough space around each other. cover it with plate and steam for 12- 15 minutes on medium heat.
See the plate is kept on modaks. :-
Check after 12 minutes. When modaks are cooked, their colour slightly changes and the cover becomes shiny and little tarnslucent.
If modaks are cooked, switch off the gas. After 5 minutes take them into a plate and serve.
Notes :- 1) If the dough becomes too cold before kneading, it wont form a pilable dough. 2) Use fresh and good quality/branded rice flour. Flour should be very fine. 3) Sometimes rice flour quality may not be good and u feel the dough is very dry, then add little water and little oil as per need and knead well. 4) Dough should be cooked enough. If it remain uncooked, dough bowl will get cracked. 5) And very important thing is, as this desert is very tricky and delicate hence need practice and patience. So do more and more practice, Do Prepare these sweet modaks and enjoy the flavours.

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