Ukadiche Modak (Steamed Modak)

Ukadiche Modak (Steamed Modak)

This steamed modak recipe yields a tender, melt-in-your-mouth outer layer filled with a delightful, chewy, sweet coconut filling. It offers the ideal balance of flavors and textures.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dessert
Cuisine Indian
Servings 15
Calories 88 kcal

Ingredients
  

For Stuffing

  • 1 cup Coconut (Fresh or frozen), grated
  • ½ cup Jaggery (Gur) powdered or grated
  • ½ teaspoon green cardamom seeds powder
  • 1 tablespoon Khas khas (White poppy seeds)
  • 5-6 Cashew nuts chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Raisins

For Outer Covering

  • 1 ¼ cups Water
  • ⅛ teaspoon Salt
  • ¼ teaspoon Ghee (Clarified butter)
  • 1 cup Rice flour

Instructions
 

Making Stuffing

  • Take grated coconut and jaggery in a pan on medium heat. Cook till it becomes thick and most of the moisture evaporates. It takes around 6-7 minutes. The cooking time depends on how much moisture your coconut and jaggery has. So, keep an eye on it.
  • Now add poppy seeds, cashews, raisins and cardamom powder. Mix and cook a minute.
  • Turn off the stove, remove the stuffing to a plate and let it cool down.

Making The Dough

  • Bring water to a boil and add ghee. Keep the heat on medium-low.
  • Add rice flour and stir immediately to avoid lumps. It will come together like a dough.
  • Cover it with lid and cook for 2-3 minutes. Do stir once or twice in between.
  • Remove it to a plate and let it cool to touch.
  • Once it is warm or cool enough to handle. Start kneading and if it feels hot, apply some water on your palm and continue kneading. Make the smooth and lump-free dough.

Shaping Method 1 (Using Mould)

  • Grease the inside of the mould using ghee. Take a small ball from the dough and add it into the mould.
  • Press it tightly and make the hollow center using your fingers. Add the stuffing & lightly press it. Take little dough and seal the open part.
  • Open and gently remove it and place it on the plate. Keep it covered with a clean kitchen towel while you shape the rest.

Shaping Method 2 (Using your hands)

  •  Grease your hand with ghee or just wet with water. take one ball on your palm.
  • Now using your other hand, slightly press it to make the small disc. Now using two hands (thumbs and fingers), gently press it and keep shaping it to make about 3–4-inch diameter circle.
  • In the center, add 2-3 teaspoons of stuffing. Now using your thumb and first finger, start pinching the little edges and make the pleats. I made only 5 pleats only. Now carefully pinch it together and seal it.

Steaming

  • While shaping, don’t forget to keep them covered to avoid drying.
  • Prepare the steamer and let the water come to a boil. Meanwhile, Brush all the modak using water. Or alternately you can dip them in a glass of water.
  • Prepare the steamer thali. Arrange the parchment paper or muslin cloth or banana leaf on the steamer thali. Arrange them on the thali.
  • Steam them for 13-15 minutes on medium heat. Let it cool to touch. Meantime they will firm up. Now remove them and place them on the plate. Drizzle ghee or saffron milk over ukadiche modak.

Notes

Rice flour:
  • I have used the regular rice flour that is easily available in Indian grocery stores. It works fine if shaping the modaks using mould.
  • If shaping using hands (also, making multiple near pleats for beautiful looking modak), this dough might get cracks while shaping. In this case, you’ll need to add 2 teaspoons of glutinous rice flour (easily available in Asian supermarkets)
Recipe Notes:
  • Don’t overcook the stuffing otherwise, it becomes chewy. 
  • You must knead the dough while it is warm. If it sticks, you can add ghee and also grease your hand with ghee. 
  • The dough has to be smooth, soft and pliable to able to shape the modaks.
  • Make the outer covering of medium thickness. If it is too thick, then it takes more time to cook. Also, it doesn’t taste good as the proportion of outer part vs center filling is not right.
  • If the outer shell is too thin, then it may break while making the pleats. Also, it may break, and stuffing will ooze out while steaming.
How to steam modak in instant pot?
  1. Add around 1 inch of water in the instant pot insert. Let the water come to a boil on saute mode.
  2. Place the trivet and then modak filled steamer basket on it. Close with the lid, keep the vent on the venting position.
  3. Cook on ‘Steam’ mode for 13-15 minutes (you need to use an external timer). Once pin drops, open the lid, steamed modak are ready.

Nutrition

Calories: 88kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 1.1gFat: 2.8gSaturated Fat: 1.8gSodium: 23mgPotassium: 49mgFiber: 0.8gSugar: 5.5g
Keyword Ukadiche Modak (Steamed Modak)
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Article Categories:
Maharashtrian Recipes

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