Fried Modak is a festive Indian sweet made with a delectable filling of coconut with aromatic saffron & cardamom wrapped in a thin layer of dough. These bite-sized dumplings are then deep-fried to a crisp golden brown perfection.
I grew up in Western India, Maharashtra where these “Talniche Modak” are typically made on the auspicious occasion of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. Talniche simply means fried. Also known as Modaka or Modakam in South India, these sweet dumplings have heavenly stuffing made with coconut, sesame seeds, or sweet lentils. Whatever stuffing you choose, these sweet Indian fried modaks will be wiped out in no time. I always wish I had doubled the recipe so we’d some have leftovers.
These fried Modak are a must-try in addition to the traditional steamed “Ukadiche Modak", which by the way my mother excels in. Everyone back home calls her the “Modak queen” and looks forward to every opportunity to eat the Modak made by her! It’s inspiring as well as fun to see my mom whip up batches after batches of her tri-colored Ukadiche Modak with finesse, an otherwise daunting task for some.
Last summer when my parents were visiting us, I made sure to learn how to make the fried Modak from my mom. Before I knew it, she had shown me at least 3 different variations of just the filling itself. It's hard to keep up with her speed but as always I had to note down all of her tips and tricks to make the perfect Modak each time.
Tips
- Make sure the outer dough is firm yet pliable for crispy Modak
- Modak filling can be made ahead
- Seal pleats together firmly so the Modak does not open when frying. You can apply water to the outer edges of the rolled dough so the pleats stick together well on the top.
- When frying turn the Modak making sure all the sides cook evenly
- If the Modak open up during frying, carefully strain the oil and discard any filling that may have spilled, and then continue to fry again. Remember to seal the tops of the raw Modak firmly to make sure they are sealed well before frying.
- Skip nuts if you are allergic & to make vegan Modak, use neutral oil instead of ghee
Steps
Here is how to make fried Modak in 4 simple steps. Please refer to the recipe card for full details:
1: Knead the dough and allow it to rest for 20 mins (photos 1 - 4)
2: Prepare the aromatic filling with coconut, jaggery, cardamom, nutmeg & saffron (photos 5 - 8)
3: Roll the dough in to small disks ( (photos 9 - 12) and fill them with the sweet coconut filling and assemble them like dumplings (photos 13 - 16)
4: Fry the dumplings in hot oil till they are lightly crisp and golden brown all over. Allow them to cool down for at least 5 minutes before serving (photos 17 - 20)
Every bite of these fried Modak is packed with the perfect combination of sweetness, flavor, and crunch, making it an easy and delightful festive offering.
Serving
Fried Modak is served at room temperature making them a perfect make-ahead recipe. Serve them right along with the meal or as a dessert or snack!
Storing
These Modak stay crisp at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. You can also refrigerate them for up to a week.
Variations
In addition to the fresh coconut filling, here are 3 other fillings that taste heavenly in this fried Modak recipe:
- Dry coconut filling (dry desiccated coconut with sugar), details in the recipe card
- Sweet sesame filling (roasted sesame seeds with jaggery), details in the recipe card
- Lentil & jaggery filling also known as Puran, you can find the details on this filling in my Puran Poli recipe
Did you enjoy this festive recipe? Here are a few more dessert recipes to try:
- Badam Burfi - Quick & easy almond fudge
- Narali Bhath - Sweet Coconut Rice with cardamom, saffron & nuts
- Amba Burfi - Aromatic dessert bites with mango & coconut
- Kheer - Eggless rice pudding in the Instant Pot
- Gajar Halwa - Easy Instant Pot recipe for a creamy Carrot pudding
With the popular Indian festival of Ganesh Chaturthi just around the corner, I’m excited to share my super easy and super tasty recipe of Fried Modak with you. I hope you give them a try!
Fried Modak
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch saffron optional
- 2 tablespoon hot ghee or oil for vegan
- ⅓ cup water luke warm
- Oil for frying you can also fry in ghee
Instructions
- Take whole wheat flour in a mixing bowl. Add saffron, salt and hot ghee. Mix well. If you press the dough in hand and it should form balls at this stage. Slowly, add a little bit of water at a time, make firm yet pliable dough. For the wheat flour I use, ⅓ cup of water works well. You may need to adjust the water by 1 to 2 tablespoons, more or less. Keep the dough covered in a bowl and allow it to rest for 20 minutes. Knead the dough once again and make 12 equal sized balls.
- Making the filling. Add the coconut to a medium pan and cook in low medium heat stirring frequently for 2 minutes. Tip - The goal here is to remove any excess moisture from the coconut. Add grated jaggery and mix well cooking for another 2 minutes as the jaggery melts and gets mixed in with the coconut. Add cardamom powder, nutmeg, saffron, and nuts, and mix well. Take out the filling in a bowl and reserve. This filling can be made ahead and refrigerated for 2 to 3 days.
- Take one ball at a time, press it in the palm of your hands, and roll into a 4-inch circle. Place 2 teaspoons of filling in the center and pinch the sides of the rolled dough making 12-13 pleats all around. Then bring the pleats together in the center and press them together to seal the modak. Feel free to apply a little bit water to the rim to help the modak pleats stick together well on the top so they do not open when frying. Repeat this for the remaining dough balls.
- Heat oil in a small frying pan. Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium. Carefully add 2 to 3 modaks at a time to the hot oil and fry them for 3 to 4 minutes, turning them in the oil so all the sides get fried evenly. Take the modak out and place them on a paper towel-lined dish so that the excess oil gets absorbed. Fry the remaining modak.
- Note: If any of the modak open up during frying, carefully strain the oil and discard any filling that may have spilled and then continue to fry again. Remember to seal the tops of the raw modak firmly to make sure they are sealed well before frying.
- Enjoy at room temperature. These modak stay crisp at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. You can also refrigerate them for upto a week.
Video
Notes
½ cup coconut, unsweetened
⅓ cup powdered sugar
1 pinch saffron (optional)
1 tablespoon ground nuts (optional)
½ teaspoon cardamom powder
¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder Sesame:
½ cup ivory sesame seeds, lightly roasted & ground
⅓ cup jaggery, grated
1 pinch saffron (optional)
1 tablespoon ground nuts (optional)
½ teaspoon cardamom powder
¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder
Nutrition
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Rucha says
Can you use Modak mold for fried Modak recipe. Please let me know.
Archana says
Rolling the dough will give you a better and even thickness