Ukadiche Modak | Traditional Steamed Modak

Ganesh Chaturthi is just around the corner and Ukadiche Modak | Traditional Steamed Modak is Ganeshji’s all-time favorite sweet so I thought I’ll share my quick and easy version with everyone here 🙂 It is traditionally made for the feast on the first day of the 10 day-long festivities. It tastes very delicious and everyone loves it! 

Ukadiche Modak | Traditional Steamed Modak are rice flour dumplings that have a mildly sweet filling of coconut and jaggery. It is flavored with cardamom as well. The flavor is so rustic and has a lingering aftertaste which is loved by everyone. The word ukadiche literally means steamed and hence the name of this sweet treat! Almost every Maharashtrian household makes these as a part of the offering to Lord Ganesha. If you have lived in Mumbai or Maharashtra for long enough, chances are you’ll love them!

In Southern Indian, this dish is known as Khozukattai which is prepared during Vinayak Chaturthi, which is basically the same festival. The recipe is also almost the same and the technique too remains pretty much the same.

The making of these Ukadiche Modak | Traditional Steamed Modak is a bit technical. I won’t label it as difficult, because it is not difficult. It just needs a bit of technique and some practice. I have been making these for years now and we love having these warm, straight out of the steamer because they taste the best when hot! But, you can serve them at room temperature too. I usually make small batches of these modaks, you can double my recipe or even triple it for a larger batch. I will share some tips below on how to make them correctly and with minimal efforts too!

Modak dough – making the dough is the most crucial bit. If the dough turns out too dry, the modaks will crack while shaping and steaming them. The moisture in the dough made with rice flour is the key to ensure that the final product is perfect. This dough is folded into shapes after the stuffing is added. You can use a mould to shape them or do it free-hand as well.

Modak stuffing – the delicious stuffing is made fresh or dry coconut and jaggery. it can be flavored with cardamom. One can add some nuts to the stuffing as well.

Steaming – steam the modaks as soon as you finish shaping them. This way they turn out perfect in terms of texture and have the most pristine white color as well.

If you love Modaks, do try my Kesar Modak.

Let us start making Ukadiche Modak | Traditional Steamed Modak. 

For the dough-
In a pan, add water along with a pinch of salt and oil.

Once the water comes to a boil, add the rice flour. Mix well.

Once the flour absorbs all the water, turn off the flame and cover the pan for 5-6 minutes.

After 5 minutes, remove the mixture in a large bowl and let it cool for about 5 minutes. Then grease your palms with some oil and knead this mixture into a smooth and soft dough. If you need, you can add about 1-2 tsp of water to make a soft and moist dough.

But do not add too much water else the dough won’t be easy to handle. (I didn’t add any extra water to make the dough, but that depends on the quality of the rice flour used. Some rice flour needs more water so add accordingly.)

This is what the dough should look like. Smooth and without any cracks. Cover the dough with a lid while we move on to prepare the stuffing.

For the stuffing-
In a pan, take some oil. Once the oil heats up a little, add the grated jaggery and the coconut. Mix well until just until the jaggery melts.

Turn off the flame and remove the mixture in a bowl as soon the mixture comes together. Add cardamom powder. Mix well. Keep it aside for the stuffing to cool down a bit.

Prep the steamer-
Set up the steamer. Line the vessel used for steaming with banana leaves. Grease the banana leaves with some oil.

Shaping the modaks-
I have used a mould. Grease the mould with oil. Take a small portion of the dough and put it in the mould. Press it around the mould in a medium-thick layer. Stuff it with 1 tsp of the stuffing. Cover the base from with some more dough. Remove the modak from the mould very carefully so that the modak doesn’t crack. Repeat this step for the rest of the dough.

Steaming the modak-
Place the prepped modaks on the greased banana leaves. Place the lid and let the modaks steam for about 12-15 minutes. Once the modaks are steamed, remove them from the steamer and place them on any platter.

I have not tried to store these modaks beyond a few hours. But you can store them in a glass container in the refrigerator. You can reheat them in the microwave the next day. 

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Ukadiche Modak | Traditional Steamed Modak

Ukadiche Modak | Traditional Steamed Modakis very delicious and easy to make, it's prepared during Ganesh Chaturthi on the first day of the festivities!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 10 modaks

Author Shreya Ashish Tiwari

Ingredients

Dough

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup rice flour
• a pinch of salt
• 1 tsp oil

Stuffing

• 1/2 cup fresh grated or desiccated coconut
• 1 tsp oil
• 1/4 cup grated jaggery
• a pinch of cardamom powder

Instructions

For the dough-

1. In a pan, add water along with a pinch of salt and oil. 
   

2. Once the water comes to a boil, add the rice flour. Mix well.

3. Once the flour absorbs all the water, turn off the flame and cover the pan for 5-6 minutes.
   

4. After 5 minutes, remove the mixture in a large bowl and let it cool for about 5 minutes. Then grease your palms with some oil and knead this mixture into a smooth and soft dough. If you need, you can add about 1-2 tsp of water to make a soft and moist dough.
   

5. But do not add too much water else the dough won't be easy to handle. (I didn't add any extra water to make the dough, but that depends on the quality of the rice flour used. Some rice flour needs more water so add accordingly.)
   

6. This is what the dough should look like. Smooth and without any cracks. Cover the dough with a lid while we move on to prepare the stuffing.
   

For the stuffing- 

1. In a pan, take some oil. Once the oil heats up a little, add the grated jaggery and the coconut. Mix well until just until the jaggery melts.
   

2. Turn off the flame and remove the mixture in a bowl as soon the mixture comes together. Add cardamom powder. Mix well. Keep it aside for the stuffing to cool down a bit. 

Prep the steamer-

1. Set up the steamer. Line the vessel used for steaming with banana leaves. Grease the banana leaves with some oil. 
   

Shaping the modaks-

1. I have used a mould. Grease the mould with oil. Take a small portion of the dough and put it in the mould. Press it around the mould in a medium-thick layer. Stuff it with 1 tsp of the stuffing. 
   

2. Cover the base from with some more dough. Remove the modak from the mould very carefully so that the modak doesn't crack. Repeat this step for the rest of the dough. 
   

Steaming the modak-

1. Place the prepped modaks on the greased banana leaves. Place the lid and let the modaks steam for about 12-15 minutes. Once the modaks are steamed, remove them from the steamer and place them on any platter. 
   

2. I have not tried to store these modaks beyond a few hours. But you can store them in a glass container in the refrigerator. You can reheat them in the microwave the next day. 

Love,
Shreya

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