Ukadiche Modak is also relished as an anytime snack that fills the heart and as well as tummy. Ukadiche Modak is a healthy snack compared to the store bought packed & junk foods.
About Ukadiche Modak
Ukadiche in Marathi means “steamed” – steaming rice flour dough with grated coconut blend with jaggery & nuts as filling – Hence the name Ukadiche Modak. In fact, momos are the eastern world version of Ukadiche Modak made with maida / refined wheat flour. In the making of Ukadiche Modak, firstly, we make the filling by sauteing grated coconut with powdered jaggery, ghee nuts and flavours. Secondly, we make the dough by mixing hot water, salt and rice flour. Thirdly, the dough is shaped with or without mould, and stuffed with sweet filling. Finally it is steamed & then garnished with saffron milk or ghee before serving.
What type of cookware is best for this?
Use any flat thick bottomed cookware which works best. For steamer you can use your idli steamer. I have used my Stahl stockpot cook & serve for making the filling and dough and my favorite Stahl Clasp on Cooker for steaming the modaks. To buy Stahl Products with discount : Use Couponcode SHARMIS for a discount of 10% while shopping.
Ukadiche Modak on Ganesh Chaturthi
Ukadiche Modak is offered to Lord Ganesha in Neivaidhyam (pooja) and then consumed & shared with friends and neighbours. Ukadiche Modak is commonly offered as Prasad in Ganesh Temples on Ganesh Chaturthi.
Secret for tasty Ukadiche Modak
Looks can be deceiving! Ukadiche Modak is shaped with a mould or with hand. The secret to tasty Ukadiche Modak is by moulding the modak with hand – as shaping with hand yield thinner outer cover so that juicy sweet inner filling makes the most of Modak. It takes about 2 to 3 times to get to the near perfect shape but after that it is a bliss for making & tasting! However for a perfect shape, size and for sharing portions, you can make the Ukadiche Modak with mould. When mould is used, make sure to make a thin outer covering. Modak recipesGanesh Chaturthi Recipes Collection
Ingredients
Rice flour: Traditionally homemade rice flour is used to make Ukadiche Modak. See Rice Flour Recipe for making Rice flour. Instant readymade flours are easily available these days in stores so you can use them too.But make sure to roast well and sieve it once to ensure no speck is there then proceed.Coconut: Fresh grated coconut is recommended for this recipe. We can use desiccated coconut as well when fresh coconut is not available. Coconut powder or milk in place of grated coconut is not recommended even though we can use as it may not taste perfect!Jaggery : Jaggery has to be powdered and used for making the filling of Ukadiche Modak. These days we get powdered jaggery in stores that could save our time of powdering it. But make sure it is clean as we are adding it as such without straining for this recipe.Ghee & Flavours : Use ghee instead of oil for preparing the filling. You can use ghee as garnish while serving too. Use finely chopped cashews, almonds, cardamom powder and dry fruits for more tasty inner filling.
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📖 Recipe Card
Ukadiche Modak Recipe Step by Step
Preparing Coconut Jaggery Filling
1.Heat 1 teaspoon ghee in a pan. 2.Add 1 cup grated coconut. 3.Saute for few mins, do not let the color change. 4.Then add 1 cup powdered jaggery to it. 5.Mix well and cook for few mins until jaggery melts completely. 6.Add 10 numbers cashews broken and 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder. 7.Mix it well. Cook until it is slightly thick but moist not dry. 8.Mix well and switch off.
Preparing rice flour dough
9.Add 1 cup water, add 1 teaspoon ghee and salt to taste. Boil it. 10.Simmer and add 1 cup flour to it. 11.Mix well until no dry flour is seen. 12.Switch off, keep covered and let it rest. 13.Then open after 5 mins, when it is still warm enough to handle transfer to a bowl. 14.When its warm to handle knead the dough. 15.Pinch a small lemon sized portion roll into a ball. Repeat to finish.
Ukadiche Modak with mould
16.Grease your mould with oil or ghee.Fill it with a pinch of small lemon sized dough.Using your finger make space for the filling as shown. Make sure the sides of the modak are slightly thin. Make sure to cover the resting dough balls with a cloth to avoid drying. 17.Add coconut jaggery filling inside the space,may be a spoonful. 18.Seal using the side dough first. Now pinch a small portion of dough flatten it and seal the base like shown below. Grease your fingers with oil if it sticks. 19.Gently open.Modak is shaped and ready.Repeat and finish. 20.Add enough water say 2 cups to the steamer pot.Let it start to boil. 21.Grease the steamer plate. Arrange the modaks on it. 22.Cover with lid. 23.Steam cook in low medium flame for 10 mins or until the outer covering turns shiny.If the modaks are big in size it may take upto 12 mins. Do not overcook as the modaks will turn hard. 24.Steamed hot modak’s are ready.
Preparing saffron milk
25.Add 12-15 saffron strands to hot milk. Crush and mix well – Saffron milk is ready. 26.Pour a spoonful of saffron milk. 27.You can even pour a teaspoon of ghee and serve. Hot delicious Ukadiche Modaks are ready.
Ukadiche Modak without mould
We make modak in a different shapes with mould and without mould so this Ukadiche Modak is made without mould Ukadiche modak is one of the popular dishes in Maharashtrian cuisine. This modak is Lord Ganesha’s favorite sweet and is one of the popular Ganesh Chaturthi Recipe that everyone tries especially in Indian homes. The first time I tried this I was so excited as the pleats was new to try. 27.Roll a ball. 28.Flatten it and make it like a cup. Grease your fingers with oil if it sticks. 29.Pinch the edges as shown. 30.Add the prepared coconut stuffing inside. 31.Gather the edges. 32.Bring it to center like the shape of a modak. 33.Repeat to finish dough. Prepare the steamer and steam cook for 10 mins. When the kozhukattais turn shiny then it shows they are done. Ukadiche modak is ready!
Expert Tips
Always have 1/2 cup hot water reserved if the dough doesn’t come together and looks dry or crumbly sprinkle little by little water to make a dough. For 1 cup flour 1 cup water will be perfect but it depends on the rice flour too so make sure to have hot water to sprinkle while kneading.Make sure to knead well else shaping will be tough, it will start breaking.
Serving Suggestions
Make it as a brunch – after pooja – with no breakfast or lunch menu additionally! Just Ukadiche Modak& other delicacies of pooja and you! Consume on the same day of making as the recipes contain coconut. Refrigeration is not needed. However if we are going to reserve some of it for friends / relatives for the next day, we can refrigerate and then steam it lightly / heat with microwave before serving.
Variations
Apart from the regular Ukadiche Modak making with & without mould following options can be explored.
Adding more dry fruits like fig, raisins, dates and nuts like almond, pista to the inner filling if you prefer.Replace rice flour with wheat flour or refined wheat flour (maida) or ragi flour.For a savoury version of Ukadiche Modak temper carrots with spices & dal and replace it with the inner filling.
1.What should I do when my filling becomes very hard?
Add very little / sprinkle hot water, heat it up and make it right! If it is used hard, it gives chewy feel but the taste will still be good!
2.What should I do when my dough becomes dry / hard?
Add very little / sprinkle hot water and make it right! Do not use dry / hard dough as it will crack the Ukadiche Modak or pop out the filling while steaming and also gives hard texture.
3.What should I do when my dough becomes watery?
Add rice flour in small quantities, while cooking and knead well when it is warm.
4.What is the right quantity of rice dough to mould / shape with hand?
Just not too thick as the sweet portion will become less while consuming and gives more of flour taste than Ukadiche Modak taste. Also it will increase the cooking time and may lead to undercooked filling. Thinning may open up cracks but taste will not deter.
5.I have excess rice flour dough and less filling?
Hope you had not missed any of the quantity prescribed in the recipe or you would have made very thick outer shell / dough which would have lead you to this problem. If you do not have time to make more filling, just make the dough in small balls and steam it with the other ones. Though it will lack sweetness, it will be still good if you like it plain. Refer to Ammini Kozhukattai for making it little spicy!
6.I have excess filling and lesser dough?
Feel proud of yourself – you are becoming an expert if you are not getting cracked Ukadiche Modak as thin, un-cracked Ukadiche Modaks are better in taste. As dough making is a quick and easy process, make it some more to match the filling. If you are tired, you can make them as balls, steam it with the other ones. Kids will like the just sweet ones!
7.I do not have mould what should I do? My mould is not working or could not locate?
Well, unless you are particular about the shape, we can make it with hand. Making modak using hand without mold takes a bit of practise else it will be time consuming. With mold anyone even a beginner can make modaks at ease. You will get modak moulds online, do check out or at any supermarket especially during the festive season they stock it up.
8.How is Ukadiche Modak different from Modak?
Both are more or less the same however Ukadiche is only steamed variety but modak can be steamed or can be fried too. The filling might slightly differ.
