And typically maharashtrian is the Ukdichike Modak . Steamed dumplings made of rice flour and stuffed with coconut and jaggery roasted in a little ghee.Yum.
It's all so festive and joyous,but sadly because of term end exams starting Two days away,we have no choice but to stay indoors.But that doesn't stop us from enjoying the festival.I have always loved the taste of homemade steamed modak but always found the entire process extremely daunting.But once I started, it was oh so easy.And second and third time round, it was a breeze.Modaks taste best fresh and warm and with a wee bit of ghee.
After serving them to Ganpati Bappa of course.Just break them open and drizzle warm ghee. Heaven.A teeny bit of salt cuts the sweetness of the modak allowing you to eat as many as you want.So go ahead and try them.
Even if you don't have a Modak mold.For the
Ukdiche Modak Steamed Modak Rice flour Dumpling for Ganesh Chaturthi
You need
1 cup fine rice flour1/2 tsp salt1 tsp oil1 1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cup grated fine fresh coconut without the brown skin if you can't grate the coconut fine or can't use it use desiccated coconut3/4 cup shredded jaggery1/2 tsp cardamom powderLittle grating of nutmeg powder1 tsp roasted poppy seed and sesame seeds optional1 tsp desi ghee or clarified butter
Place the water, salt and oil in a large pan and allow it to come to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat. Once it boils, use a whisk and whisk in the rice flour a third at a time making sure no lumps form.Turn off the heat and cover.
In a non stick saucepan or a plain wok, place the coconut,jaggery and ghee. Keep stirring on medium heat till the jaggery dissolves and then gets lightly roasted and comes together. The jaggery and the coconut just blend into each other. If you are using poppy seeds and sesame seeds, add them to the ghee first and then the remaining stuff. Make sure you don't dehydrate the gur or jaggery too much or the filling will be hard.
Turn off the gas and add the nutmeg and cardamom powder.Mix well and set aside to cool.Grease your steamer . I use my momo steamer, you can use a large sauce PAN, place a plate that has holes and then place a greased cake tin with the modaks over, cover with a lid and steam.Nothing fancy needed.Ok ,bring out the rice dough onto a Large plate or Parat. Knead carefully, the dough will still be warm. You have to knead it till it comes to almost room temperature. If needed ,sprinkle some cold water over it. When you have finished the dough will not be stick and be very pliable.
If you have a mould, grease it with a little oil or ghee.
Take a ball, tool to an oval shape and stuff it in the mold. With your finger, make a hole and then stuff a little of the coconut stuffing in. Close with the rice flour and gently open the mold.
Now this is easier said. Since this was only my third time and my first without any help, the modaks were shaping out ok. Problem with them was that they carry minimal filling. So I decided to make them free .Lemon sized balls rolled well to smoothen the streaks and flattened on greased palms.You can make them into tiny cups and place a spoonful of the filling . Slowly pinching the edges, gather them together to close the Modak like an upturned rose bud. 
As long as you pinch them closed,they'll work.Place the modaks on your greased plate. Steam only ,modaks do not get dipped in water.10 minutes is all they need.
Remove carefully and offer to Ganesh. 21 or 11 at a time, and then after your prayers make sure you distribute the modaks to as many people as you can.Prasad they say, is best when it is eaten by the maximum number of people.
The mounded modaks have less filling than the free range ones(As much as you can put in) and so the free ones were yummy.I know the posts are late.But we have important term end exams going on at home. Grade 10 exams are enough to drive students and parents crazy. There is never enough preparation done.A lot of hard work has gone into the modaks and exams. So god bless.
Make these, not just during Ganpati,but whenever you feel the need to make something sweet.These are gluten free-(rice is ) , healthy-coconut and jaggery are healthy and wholesome.Steamed,these modaks are healthy.
Festive enough for any special occasion and easy enough to make on a weekend.We are already planning the next lot.
So what are you baking today???
