Ukadiche Modak {Rice Dumplings with Sweet Coconut Filling}

What is Modak

Modak is a sweet dish popular in Western India, especially Maharashtra where I grew up. They are made during the 10-day Ganesha festival and offered to Lord Ganesha.

Modak is a sweet dumpling that is either steamed or fried. It has an outer dough made with flour such as rice or wheat and a sweet aromatic filling inside made with ingredients like coconut, sugar, and jaggery. My Fried Modak recipe shows three different types of sweet fillings. The other type of Modak is called Mawa Modak which is made using milk solids, sugar, and a variety of flavors.

What are Ukadiche Modak

"Ukadiche" literally means steamed. Ukadiche Modak is similar to dumplings, with an outer layer of steamed rice flour dough and a sweet filling of fresh coconut and jaggery. After shaping and filling the dumplings they are then steamed which gives them a soft melt-in-the-mouth texture.

My mom makes the BEST Ukadiche Modak. I grew up eating them every year during the 10-day Ganapati festival and also almost every month as my dad brought home fresh coconuts from the farm.

My Mom is well-known amongst friends and family for her scrumptious Modak. Her signature Tri-Color Modak is made by shaping the outer covering with colored dough. She is always whipping up batches of Modak to share and also makes them when she gets special requests.

UPDATE: Please check the instructions and video for steaming modak in Instant Pot

When I first started to cook, I never thought I would attempt to make Modak as the process seemed a bit tedious. Then, I came across an article in an Indian newspaper that was all about foods to prepare during the Ganesha festival. The article with over a dozen tips on how to make perfect Modak gave me many good ideas that I became confident in making them.

During my trip to India, I also got a chance to fine-tune my Modak-making skills with expert tips from my cousin, Prajakta. Look at these gorgeous tri-color handmade modak, she makes!

Ingredients

This Modak recipe needs just a handful of ingredients most of which are available at Indian grocery stores:

1. Fine rice flour - Make sure to sift the rice flour. I have used fine rice flour from brands like Sohum and Laxmi Foods and both work well for this recipe.
2. Ghee - Good quality homemade ghee adds a nutty aroma to the Modak. It helps to make the dough smooth and prevents the Modak from sticking to the mold.
3. Grated Coconut - Frozen coconut from Anand or Deep brand comes in handy for this recipe and makes the process quicker. Remember to thaw the coconut at room temperature before making the filling
4. Jaggery - Adds buttery rich sweetness and authentic flavor to this dish. Make sure to grate the jaggery to avoid any lumps. Also remember not to overcook the jaggery, cook only until the filling is mixed in well.
5. Cardamom and Nutmeg - I recommend buying ground powders to save time. If you have the whole cardamom, make sure to discard the outer shell and finely grind the inside seeds with mortar and pestle. The whole nutmeg can be grated with a small grater.

How to Make Ukadiche Modak

Step 1: Ukad/dough for the outer covering

• Bring 1 cup of water to a boil and add salt and 1 teaspoon of ghee.
• Turn the heat to low and add the rice flour. Mix it well with a spoon.
• Cook covered for 2-3 mins on low heat. Turn the heat off. Take out the dough into a mixing bowl and let it cool.

Step 2: Coconut jaggery filling

• Grate the jaggery or break it into small pieces using a pestle. 
• In a heavy bottom pan gently roast the coconut on medium heat for 5 minutes.
• Add jaggery, saffron, nutmeg powder, and cardamom powder, and cook on low heat for another 5 to 7 minutes or until the filling starts to look dry. Mix well and keep aside. Pro Tip - Make the filling in advance to save time and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days

Step 3: Prep the dough

• Knead the rice dough using 1 teaspoon of ghee and 1-2 tablespoons of warm water for 5 to 10 mins or until the dough is really soft and moist.
• Make lemon-sized balls with the dough and keep them covered.

Step 4: Shaping and filling

• Grease the inside of the Modak mold really well with oil or ghee (photo 1)
• Close the mold and spread the rice dough inside the mold and start pressing gently with your fingers as it evenly spreads inside the mold. Some of the dough will spread outside of the mold, which is used to seal the Modak (photos 2, 3, and 4)

• Gently put about 1 to 2 teaspoons of filling inside the mold. (photo 5)
• Seal the bottom with the extra dough that is outside of the mold by folding it over to cover the opening (photos 6, 7, and 8)

• Carefully open the mold and remove the Modak gently (photos 9 and 10)
• Shape the top of the Modak by gently pinching with fingers (photos 11 and 12)
• Place it in the steamer. Note: I am using the steaming rack from my old stovetop steamer. But this steamer works well too.
• Repeat the above steps of shaping and filling the Modak for the rest of the dough and filling.

Step 5: Steaming

• Heat 2 cups of water in a steamer pot. Once all the Modak is ready, put the steaming rack inside the steamer pot and cook covered for 10 minutes on low to medium heat. Note: Check the detailed recipe for Instant Pot steaming instructions.

Turn the heat off, and let the Modak cool for 5 minutes. Gently remove them from the steaming rack onto a plate. Enjoy!

Tips to make soft covering/shell

1. Use fine rice flour. Recently I found "Sohum" brand rice flour in Indian grocery stores in NJ that works really well.
2. Add enough water when steaming the dough, a 1:1 water-to-flour ratio
3. Allow the steamed dough to cool down
4. At first, the dough may seem a little dry and coarse. Knead it well with a couple of tablespoons of warm water and a little bit of ghee. Kneading the dough will make the dough perfectly soft and pliable for making Modak shells.
5. Take your time to assemble the Modak, the dough does not have to be hot, simply keep the dough covered under a moist paper towel

Tips for making perfect Modak filling

1. If using frozen pre-shredded coconut, dry roast the coconut on medium heat for 5 minutes. This will allow the excess moisture to evaporate and the filling will not release water when the Modak is steamed.
2. I would recommend grating the jaggery or break into very small pieces. There should be no lumps of jaggery in the filling.
3. Cook the filling for 5 to 7 minutes on low-medium heat or until the mixture starts to look dry. This will prevent the jaggery syrup from oozing out of the Modak while steaming.
4. If you like, 1 teaspoon of roasted poppy seeds can be added to to the filling.

How to serve Modak

Enjoy warm Modak as is! Traditionally they are served with homemade ghee called Sajuk Toop in Marathi. Slightly cut open the top of the Modak and pour over a teaspoon of melted ghee. I love to eat them warm but they also taste good at room temperature.

Storing and Reheating Modak

Modak stays well at room temperature for a day. For extended shelf life refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat simply re-steam them for 3 to 4 minutes.

How to make Modak without the mold

Traditionally Modak is made by hand and it takes some practice and patience to shape them uniformly. Here is how to make Modak by hand:

1. Apply ghee to your palms and fingertips and start pressing one ball of the rice dough between the palms of your hands. Gently stretch the sides to form a 3-inch cup.

2. Place the filling in the center and start making pleats on the side by pinching the sides of the dough. Makes 5 to 7 pleats, to begin with, and eventually, you can make more pleats making the Modak look prettier.

3. After pleating all around, gently bring them all together in the center. Start pressing them towards the middle and top enclosing the filling. Secure the top by firmly pressing the top together so the Modak does not open up during steaming.

Traditional Indian Meal with Modak

• Puri
• Shrikhand
• Batata Bhaji
• Sadha Varan Bhat
• Kothimbir Vadi
• Alu Vadi