Steamed modak with coconut and jaggery
Small translucent dumplings made from rice flour dough, shaped like pleated purses, filled with fresh grated coconut caramelized with jaggery and scented with cardamom. Steamed, they are soft, fragrant, and delicately sweet. Inspired by offerings for Ganesh Chaturthi.
Small translucent dumplings made from rice flour dough, shaped like pleated purses, filled with fresh grated coconut caramelized with jaggery and scented with cardamom. Steamed, they are soft, fragrant, and delicately sweet. Inspired by offerings for Ganesh Chaturthi.
When I was little, during Ganesh Chaturthi, the whole street smelled of coconut and jaggery. We made modak at home — and believe me, pleating the dough into a nice purse is quite an art; my first ones looked like lumps! My grandmother said you need patient fingers and a happy heart. We'd first offer them, then feast. Even today, biting into a warm modak brings back that childhood joy.
- •Rice flour — two bowls (dough wrapper)
- •Fresh grated coconut — one generous bowl (filling)
- •Jaggery — equal parts with coconut (caramelized sugar)
- •Green cardamom — a few pods (fragrance)
- •Ghee — a little (dough suppleness)
Steamed modak with coconut and jaggery
Small translucent dumplings made from rice flour dough, shaped like pleated purses, filled with fresh grated coconut caramelized with jaggery and scented with cardamom. Steamed, they are soft, fragrant, and delicately sweet. Inspired by offerings for Ganesh Chaturthi.
Why this dish? In Mumbai, September means Ganesh Chaturthi: the whole city celebrates the elephant-headed Ganesh, and modak is his favorite treat. For a Mumbai child like Alia, these little steamed sweet dumplings are the very taste of the neighborhood festival, the decorated streets, and shared devotion.
When I was little, during Ganesh Chaturthi, the whole street smelled of coconut and jaggery. We made modak at home — and believe me, pleating the dough into a nice purse is quite an art; my first ones looked like lumps! My grandmother said you need patient fingers and a happy heart. We'd first offer them, then feast. Even today, biting into a warm modak brings back that childhood joy.
Ingredients (period version)
- Rice flour — two bowls (dough wrapper)
- Fresh grated coconut — one generous bowl (filling)
- Jaggery — equal parts with coconut (caramelized sugar)
- Green cardamom — a few pods (fragrance)
- Ghee — a little (dough suppleness)
Ingredients
- Rice flour — 200 g (dough)
- Water — 250 ml (dough)
- Grated coconut (preferably fresh) — 150 g (filling)
- Grated jaggery — 120 g (sweet filling)
- Ground green cardamom — 1/2 tsp (fragrance)
- Ghee — 1 tsp (dough)
- Salt — 1 pinch (balance)
Method
- Filling: melt the jaggery with the coconut over low heat until the mixture thickens, flavor with cardamom, let cool slightly.
- Dough: bring water to a boil with ghee and salt, add rice flour all at once, mix off heat, cover for 5 minutes.
- Knead the dough while still warm (oiled hands) until smooth.
- Form small cups, place a spoonful of filling, pinch the edges into pleats to close like a purse.
- Steam for 10-12 minutes on a cloth or leaves.
- Serve warm, optionally with a drizzle of ghee.
How it was made : Modak has been attested for centuries as naivedya, the offering placed before the deity before being shared as prasad. The steamed version (ukadiche modak) from Maharashtra avoids frying and keeps the rice dough translucent and tender.
The contemporary twist : A pinch of saffron in the dough for golden modaks, presented on a banana leaf like at the temple.
Alia Bhatt · Charactorium
