Ganesha Chaturthi is near and every food blogger puts in loads of efforts making and presenting different kinds of modak/modaka. I realised I do not have a single post of modaka in over 400+ recipes on FOI. Ganesha’s favourite modak/modaka has to be posted then, for this year’s festival falling on Monday, 2nd Sep of 2019. In my home, we always make everyone’s favourite, bele obbattu/holige. But today we will learn ukkarisida modaka or ukadiche modak.
Ukkarisida modaka or ukadiche modak are steamed modaka with a kayi-bella/coconut-jaggery hoorna/filling. The caramelized coconut-jaggery mixture along with the elaichi makes it very aromatic and flavourful. Now let’s talk about the outer layer, it is very important to get it right. It has a subtle taste and is made with rice flour made into a pliable dough. A pinch of salt is what adds the subtle flavour and seals the deal.
For the outer covering I generally use idiyappam flour which has nice strength and just very easy to use. Many people swear by it and recommend to use it for such recipes, it is a no fuss method. However don’t worry if you do not have idiyappam flour, slowly roast good quality rice flour, cool it and use it. I have used 2 methods to shape the ukkarisida modaka or ukadiche modak, simple hand method and another one is a fancy looking modaka mould. Modaka moulds are easily available in any utensil store or even online.
More Ganesha Chaturthi recipes on FOI:
Kayi/Coconut Holige
Kuchida Kadubu
Bele Obbattu/Holige
Dry Nuts Holige etc.
- 1 Cup freshly grated coconut
- 1 Tbsp ghee
- ½ Cup grated jaggery/bella
- 2 Tsp white poppy seeds/gasa-gase
- 5-6 pounded elaichi
- ½ Cup idiyappam flour
- A small pinch of salt
- 1 Tsp ghee
- 1 Cup water
- First let's start by making the hoorna/filling so it can cool in time to make the modaka. Add grated coconut into a clean pan
- Also add ghee to the coconut and mix well
- To this add grated bella/jaggery
- Lightly mix it
- Push the coconut-jaggery mixture to one side of the pan and add the poppy seeds and roast it for a few seconds
- Meanwhile the jaggery is melting now
- Keep stirring on low flame until jaggery has completely melted and mixed well with the coconut
- Once the jaggery is completely absorbed and the mixture is not sticky, add pounded elaichi and mix well
- Keep aside, hoorna/filling is ready
- Next let's make the outer covering dough. To a clean and non-stick pan, pour water and bring it to heat
- Add little ghee to the water and allow it to come to a boil
- Also add a pinch of salt
- When the ghee has melted and water is on slow boil, simmer the heat and add the idiyappam flour all at once
- Now without disturbing the added flour, close the lid on the pan and let it boil on low flame for a minute or so
- Now carefully, mix the flour into the rest of the water and you you will have a lump free mixture
- It is a bit dry at the moment which we will knead into a smooth dough
- Just sprinkle a few drops of water and once it is warm to handle, knead into a soft dough
- Grease with little ghee, cover with a damp cloth and keep aside
- To make modaka, knead the dough well again and spread into a round, don't worry it it has some jagged edges
- Place a Tsp of hoorna/filling in the middle
- Slowly bring the edges together to form a modak/modaka as shown
- Another method is to use a modak mould, grease with little ghee on the inside
- Now put some dough inside and press on the inside walls of the mould
- Remove the excess and see how the centre is now empty to put the hoorna/filling in
- Add little hoorna/filling inside and clean the edges
- Now close the base of the modaka with a little dough, it should not be very thick or thin, remoove excess
- Carefully open up the modak mould and you have a beautifully shaped modak/modaka
- Make all in a similar fashion
- Place all into a steamer, I used my 1st and 4th plates of my thatte idle stand to accommodate for the height
- Steam for 7-8 minutes
- Allow it to settle for 3-4 minutes and bisi-bisi ukkarisida modaka or ukadiche modak are ready to serve
- Offer to Ganesha as prasada and enjoy the steamed bundles of fun
Use good quality clean jaggery to ensure it is free of any small impurities
Do not make the outer covering too thin or thick, to get a good modaka which holds well with enough hoorna/filling, 2 things are essential, patience and the right amount of dough 🙂
Ukkarisida Modaka Stepwise:
First let's start by making the hoorna/filling so it can cool in time to make the modaka. Add grated coconut into a clean pan
Also add ghee to the coconut and mix well
To this add grated bella/jaggery
Lightly mix it
Push the coconut-jaggery mixture to one side of the pan and add the poppy seeds and roast it for a few seconds
Meanwhile the jaggery is melting now
Keep stirring on low flame until jaggery has completely melted and mixed well with the coconut
Once the jaggery is completely absorbed and the mixture is not sticky, add pounded elaichi and mix well
Keep aside, hoorna/filling is ready
Next let's make the outer covering dough. To a clean and non-stick pan, pour water and bring it to heat
Add little ghee to the water and allow it to come to a boil
Also add a pinch of salt
When the ghee has melted and water is on slow boil, simmer the heat and add the idiyappam flour all at once
Now without disturbing the added flour, close the lid on the pan and let it boil on low flame for a minute or so
Now carefully, mix the flour into the rest of the water and you you will have a lump free mixture
It is a bit dry at the moment which we will knead into a smooth dough
Just sprinkle a few drops of water and once it is warm to handle, knead into a soft dough
Grease with little ghee, cover with a damp cloth and keep aside
To make modaka, knead the dough well again and spread into a round, don't worry it it has some jagged edges
Place a Tsp of hoorna/filling in the middle
Slowly bring the edges together to form a modak/modaka as shown
Another method is to use a modak mould, grease with little ghee on the inside
Now put some dough inside and press on the inside walls of the mould
Remove the excess and see how the centre is now empty to put the hoorna/filling in
Add little hoorna/filling inside and clean the edges
Now close the base of the modaka with a little dough, it should not be very thick or thin, remoove excess
Carefully open up the modak mould and you have a beautifully shaped modak/modaka
Make all in a similar fashion
Place all into a steamer, I used my 1st and 4th plates of my thatte idle stand to accommodate for the height
Steam for 7-8 minutes
Allow it to settle for 3-4 minutes and bisi-bisi ukkarisida modaka or ukadiche modak are ready to serve
Offer to Ganesha as prasada and enjoy the steamed bundles of fun
