Ukadiche Modak is a delicious, sweet delicacy from India. These models are made from soft rice flour dough. The filling consists of a grated coconut, palm sugar, and a hint of cardamom.
After making the Modaks, steam them until done. Each modak has a soft, sticky exterior and a sweet coconut filling with a hint of cardamom. Delicious until the last bite!
A Sweet Indian Delicacy
These traditional Indian delicacies are very popular. They are mainly eaten in West India during the Ganesha festival, an important Hindu holiday. Ganesha is loved for his wisdom. He is often depicted with a bowl full of modaks because, apparently, that is his favorite food.
The outside of the Ukadiche Modak is made of rice flour that becomes soft and slightly sticky after steaming. The filling consists of palm sugar, coconut grate, and cardamom, which gives a sweet, aromatic taste.
Although special dough shapes are available, you can easily shape them by hand. Make them, eat them while still warm, and discover why this is a delicacy!
This recipe is adapted from the blog Sizzleanddrizzle.com as a Daring Kitchen challenge.
Top Tip
Tradition says the ukadiche modak is steamed on a banana leaf in a steamer basket. If you don't have a banana leaf at home, you can use a slightly damp tea towel.
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📖 Recipe
RECIPE CARD
Ingredients
Filling
- ½ pound Fresh Coconut, coarsely grated
- 3 ½ oz palm sugar, chopped
- 3 tablespoons water
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
Dough
- 2 cups rice flour
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter, unsalted
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
Modak Filling
- Put the coconut, palm sugar, and water in a saucepan and heat over low heat.½ pound Fresh Coconut, 3 ½ oz palm sugar, 3 tablespoons water
- When the palm sugar melts, and everything becomes slightly moist, leave the pan on low heat for a few minutes until it dries.
- Mix the cardamom through.¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- Spread on a plate and let it cool.
Dough
- Sieve the plain flour and rice flour with a small strainer.2 cups rice flour, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- In a saucepan, combine the water, butter, and salt and let it come to a boil slowly.⅔ cup water, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons butter
- When it boils, pour the flour at once and stir with a wooden spatula until a ball is formed.
- Spoon 2 tablespoons of water into the pan, put a lid on the pot, and steam for 1 minute.
- Remove from the heat and let it stand for 10 minutes.
- Grind finely in a food processor (about a minute).
- Knead so you get a smooth dough.
Steam Ukadiche Modak
- Fill the pan with water and bring it to a boil. Set the steam basket on top. Place a banana leaf (or towel) in the steamer basket.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and roll each part up into a ball.
- Take each ball and flatten them with your hands (your hands should be a little wet) and create a round, flat dough sheet of 10 cm diameter.
- Fill this sheet with one tablespoon of Modak (in the middle, free the edges).
- Grasp the outside of the dough and push a piece of dough between your fingers toward each other until you get all around.
- Then, grab the center together and turn the dough until it is closed (push well to close it thoroughly with your fingers).
- Put the Ukadiche Modak in the steamer and steam for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Eat them warm and spread them with ghee just before serving.
Notes
Ukadiche Modak tastes best when eaten fresh.
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Reheat: Place them in a steamer and warm them slightly before serving again
Nutrition
Renata says
Hi Andrea, thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a lovely comment! Your modaks look so authentic sitting on those banana leaves! I can't believe I live in the land of bananas but did not have access to a single leaf (sigh...) It was a fun challenge!!
All the best,
Renata