Modak for Ganesh Chaturthi and Indian Cooking Challenge

Dear Foodies,

This is the first time i made modak at home for ganesh chaturthi and as you can see i wasnt very successful in my attempt. The only problem i faced was that i couldnt give them proper shapes, the dough was sticky and becoz of which it kept on tearing in between. Even though the shapes of modak were not proper i did go ahead and served them to lord ganesha after all what matters is your honesty, sincerity and your undying faith. The recipe followed was the same as mentioned by Srivalli on the ICC post. 
These are off to Indian Cooking Challenge by Srivalli and Janmashtami and Ganesh Chaturthi event by Purva and Priti

Modak from Mints
Ingredients Needed


For the Stuffing -
2 cups freshly grated coconut (she says you can use frozen unsweetened coconut)
1 cup jaggery (grated)
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1 tsp cardamom powder
one pinch nutmeg (optional)
2 tbsp water (i used rose water)


For the outer layer or Cover -
1 cup rice flour
1.25 cup water
pinch of salt
1 tbsp oil

Procedure for Stuffing:

• Roast the poppy seeds in a small skillet and let it cool down. Grind it coarsely and keep it aside. If you have roasted poppy seeds, its fantastic no hassles!
• In a heavy bottom kadai, take the grated jaggary, add 2 tbsp of water and melt to liquid. Sieve to remove impurities if any.
•  Then add the liquid back to the kadai and add the grated coconut. Keep stirring so that it does get burnt in the bottom.
•  In about 5 -7 mins you will see the mixture getting solid, at this stage add the cardamom and nutmug powder if you are using it.
• When you see the mixture turning yellowish, more like golden and sticking to the sides, you can turn off the flame add the poppy seeds powder, mix well and set it aside to cool down. 

Procedure for outer cover :

• Take a thick bottomed vessel with a lid. Start boiling water in that vessel, add salt and oil.
• When water starts boiling, lower the heat and slowly add rice flour. Please do not dump all the flour at once.
• As you add, start mixing vigorously with a ladle. Once all the flour is done, keep mixing well till you see a smooth well mixed mixture.
• Now close the lid and take the pot off the heat. Let the covered pot cool down for 15 minutes or so. Then using a ladle, mix the dough properly. If you want to mix with your hands, you can dip your hands in water and quickly mix the dough. But ensure you don't use too much water.
• Mints suggests 1-2 tbsp of All purpose flour to be added to get the dough a bit more sticky. But I just went ahead with just rice flour.

Making the Modak:

• For making the Modak divide the dough into 20 balls and the stuffing into equal size of 20 balls. You can use those Garlic shaped mould or else in your palm you can press them and gather them together as a tear shaped.
• I used the modak moulds you get, grease the molds with oil. Then close the mold, stuff one ball into it and press it against the shape evenly making a hold in middle. Then take the suffing, press it into the hold in the middle, close the opening with extra dough and press tightly to ensure its all sealed well. Continue with the rest until you are done with all.
• Even in this you may have extra dough in the tip, which after steaming can get hard. So you can remove the excess before steaming. Retain just enough to form the shape.
• If you don't have the molds, you can make these easily in your palms. Take one outer ball, gently press in the middle getting it in shape of bowl, with the sides being thinner than the center, fill with stuffing, gather the sides towards the center, seal well and continue making till you are done
•  I used my idly cooker to steam the Modak. Grease the plates with oil and place the Modak over it. Just as you do the regular Idli steaming, fill the bottom with water and put it on the stove.
• This takes about 15 - 20 mins to get cooked. Take the steamer off the vessel and let it sit for 5 minutes before removing Modak from steamer.