Modak recipe | Ukadiche modak recipe | How to make modak | Recipe of Ukadiche modak | Modak banane ki vidhi | How to make Ukadiche modak with step by step instructions

Modak recipe | Ukadiche modak recipe is a traditional Maharashtrian Indian cuisine sweet/mithai that is made from steamed rice flour and is stuffed with jaggery and grated coconut mixture. It is shaped like a dumpling.

This delicacy is specifically made during indian festival Ganesha chaturthi as Modak is believed to be favourite of Lord Ganesha.

Last year during this festival I made prasad of Ukdiche modak with oats and Dalia modak with caramelised fruits.

So for change, this year I made fusion recipe of  Instant, no cook 3 ingredient Modak. It turned out very well and everyone enjoyed this delicious prasadam.

What are Ukadiche Modak

Ukadiche literally means steamed in Marathi language. And modak is similar to dumplings.

So Ukadiche Modak means steamed modak or sweet dumplings.

These Modaks have outer layer of steamed fine rice flour and a sweet stuffing of coconut and jaggery that is flavoured with cardamom powder.

Once they are shaped into modak/dumpling, it is steamed to the perfection, which gives them soft melt in the mouth texture. It’s  served with drizzle of pure ghee/clarified butter.

Traditional style sweet/Mithai

Indian festivals and traditional Indian sweets/mithais are synonyms to each other. Each of traditional sweet recipe is known to be connected to a particular festival.

Like for celebrating Shitla Satam festival, we Sindhi’s make Mitho lolo, Sindhi besani koki and Sindhi sanna pakoda.

Similarly, Gujarati community love their Khandvi and Shrikhand to celebrate the special occasions.

As I mentioned earlier that I love making variety of Modak, this year I decided to go with traditional Ukadiche modak recipe.

Is it difficult to make?

While you read the recipe, you may find it difficult to ace the recipe but if you take care of few things, it is not difficult at all. With some practice and proper ratio of water and rice flour, it will be a smooth sail to make modak.

Moreover the crucial part of shaping up the modak with stuffing is traditionally made with hands only.

For your ready reference, I have shared that traditional method of shaping modak with hands in my Ukdiche modak with oats recipe.

Only thing you may need is some practice to pleat modak to get that perfect shape.

To solve this problem for a beginner, readymade modak moulds are easily available in the market. I have used the mould to get that beautiful design on my Modaks.

Notes :

1. Always use good quality rice flour specifically used to make modak. I use Basmati brand, which imparts beautiful white colour to modak.

2. However you may use regular rice flour also, but make sure that it’s powdered fine.

3. Make sure you knead the dough when it’s warm. Knead it well until it is turns very smooth.

4. While making modak, make sure that outer cover should be as thin as possible. Otherwise it wouldn’t taste good.

5. Don’t over cook the stuffing as this will result in jaggery become very hard. To rectify this add few spoons of hot water and mix well.

Do have a look at a few more recipes for Ganesh Chaturthi:

Puran poli

Maharashian karanji

Kothimbir vadi

Coconut peda

Sweet Boondi Ladoo

Paan gulkand ladoo

Step by step instructions and pictorial presentation to make ukdiche modak

For stuffing–

Take a pan and dry roast the fresh grated coconut for a while.

In the same pan put grated jaggery  and let it melt on slow flame. Keep stirring it continuosly.

Cook for 2-3 minutes so that everything comes together and after that add cardamom powder.

Remove the pan from heat and allow the stuffing cool down.

For making dough for outer cover

Heat water in a pan.
Add salt and ghee/clarified butter,  bring it to a rolling boil.

Once the water starts boiling immediately switch off the flame.

Add rice flour in to boiled water.
Mix well with back of wooden spoon, cover and keep aside for around 5 minutes.

Assembly of modak

Remove the dough from the pan while it’s still warm on a clean surface.

Apply ghee on your palms and knead the dough.

Keep kneading it by applying ghee everytime on your palms till no cracks appear and dough looks smooth.

To shape them like modak/ dumpling, unlock the modak mould and brush ghee all over.

Take small ball of steamed dough and keep it inside the mould. Lock the mould and push the dough inside.

Now spread the dough around the wall of mould in thin layer by keeping the centre cavity empty for stuffing. Remove the excess dough from the mould.

Fill the cavity with coconut jaggery mixture that we prepared earlier.

Seal the cavity with some more dough at the base.

Unlock the mould and remove the modak from the mold very gently.

Repeat the process with rest of the dough and make all the modak in the same manner.

For Steaming

Heat a steamer or prepare idli maker with some water.

Place the sieve on idli steamer and grease it with some ghee. You may line it with muslin cloth or banana leaf.

Now put modak on the steamer plate or sieve to be steamed. Cover it and steam for about 12 to 15 minutes until modak turn translucent.

For garnishing-

Take a small katori add milk and warm it. Then add kesar strands in it and let it soak for few minutes.

Garnish the modak with soaked saffron strands. Serve warm with drizzle of ghee.

Modak stays good for 2 to 3 of days in the refrigerator. While serving after refrigerating, steam them or microwave for few seconds by sprinkling some water on them.

Recipe card 🔽

Print Recipe

Modak recipe | Ukadiche modak recipe | How to make modak

Modak recipe | Ukadiche modak recipe is a traditional Maharashtrian Indian cuisine sweet/mithai that is made from steamed rice flour and is stuffed with jaggery and grated coconut mixture. It is shaped like a dumpling.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Shaping up the modak30 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course: Festival Sweets, Indian mithai

Cuisine: Indian, Maharashtrian

Keyword: Ganesh chaturthi recipes, Ganpati festival recipes, How to make modak, Modak, Ukdiche modak

Servings: 16 Modak

Author: Lata Lala

Ingredients

For stuffing

• Grated coconut 1 cup /100 gms
• Jaggery grated 3/4 cup / 75 gms
• Clarified butter ghee 1 tsp
• Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp

For dough

• Water 1.5 cups
• Fine Rice flour 1 cup / 150 gms
• Clarified butter 1 to 2 tsp
• Salt 1/2 tsp

For garnish

• Kesar few strands
• Milk 2 tsp

Instructions

For stuffing

• Take a pan and dry roast the fresh grated coconut for a while.
• In the same pan put grated jaggery  and let it melt on slow flame. Keep stirring it continuosly.
• Cook for 2-3 minutes so that everything comes together and after that add cardamom powder.
• Remove the pan from heat and allow the stuffing cool down.

For making dough for outer cover

• Heat water in a pan.
• Add salt and ghee/clarified butter,  bring it to a rolling boil.
• Once the water starts boiling immediately switch off the flame.
• Add rice flour in to boiled water.
• Mix well with back of wooden spoon, cover and keep aside for around 5 minutes.

Assembly of modak

• Remove the dough from the pan while it's still warm on a clean surface.
• Apply ghee on your palms and knead the dough.
• Keep kneading it by applying ghee everytime on your palms till no cracks appear and dough looks smooth.
• To shape them like modak/ dumpling, unlock the modak mould and brush ghee all over.
• Take small ball of steamed dough and keep it inside the mould. Lock the mould and push the dough inside.
• Now spread the dough around the wall of mould in thin layer by keeping the centre cavity empty for stuffing. Remove the excess dough from the mould.
• Fill the cavity with coconut jaggery mixture that we prepared earlier.
• Seal the cavity with some more dough at the base.
• Unlock the mould and remove the modak from the mold very gently.
• Repeat the process with rest of the dough and make all the modak in the same manner.

For steaming

• Heat a steamer or prepare idli maker with some water.
• Place the sieve on idli steamer and grease it with some ghee. You may line it with muslin cloth or banana leaf.
• Now put modak on the steamer plate or sieve to be steamed. Cover it and steam for about 12 to 15 minutes until modak turn translucent.

For garnish

• Take a small katori add milk and warm it. Then add kesar strands in it and let it soak for few minutes.
• Garnish the modak with soaked saffron strands. Serve warm with drizzle of ghee.
• Modak stays good for 2 to 3 of days in the refrigerator. While serving after refrigerating, steam them or microwave for few seconds by sprinkling some water on them.

Notes

1. Always use good quality rice flour specifically used to make modak. I use Basmati brand, which imparts beautiful white colour to modak.

2. However you may use regular rice flour also, but make sure that it's powdered fine.

3. Make sure you knead the dough when it's warm. Knead it well until it is turns very smooth.

4. While making modak, make sure that outer cover should be as thin as possible. Otherwise it wouldn't taste good.

5. Don't over cook the stuffing as this will result in jaggery become very hard. To rectify this add few spoons of hot water and mix well.

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