Modak recipe – Modak are sweet stuffed dumplings offered to Lord Ganesha as prasad / naivedyam during Ganesh Chaturthi puja. Some women also make these for the Sankasti chaturthi puja every month. Lord Ganesha loves modak hence he is also called as modaka priya, one of the 108 names mentioned in the Ganesha Ashtothram. Kudumu, kadubu, modakam or kozhukattai are the other names to modak.
These sweet stuffed dumplings are made in different shapes according to beliefs or traditions. This recipe makes 11 modakam, if you have the tradition of offering 21 to the Lord, double the recipe.
Make sure to use jaggery that is clean free from stones and dust. You can also hand pick the dust particles and discard while you grate.
You can find the complete collection of Ganesh chaturthi recipes here.
I have shared 9 kinds of modak recipes on the blog. Here are some more
Peanut modak
Rava modak
Fried modak
Sesame seeds modak
Chocolate modak
Dry fruits modak
Malai modak
Ragi modak
You can also check these Andhra style Vinayaka Chavithi Recipes
Modak recipe
Modak recipe | Modakam | How to make modak without mould
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
Filling/puran for modak recipe
- 2 cups coconut grated
- 1 cup jaggery grated or powdered
- 2 to 3 green cardamoms powdered / elaichi
- 1 tsp ghee
for the outer cover
- 1 cup rice flour (fine flour) (Refer notes)
- 1 cup water
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp ghee
- 1 tsp ghee or more for greasing
How to make the recipe
Making puran for modak recipe
- Add ghee to a hot pan. Saute together jaggery and coconut until both blend well and the mixture turns thick. Add cardamom powder and switch off. Cool this completely.
Making dough
- Bring 1 cup water to a rolling boil along with salt and ghee. Switch off the heat.
- Add the flour. Mix well. Cover and set aside until the temperature comes down a bit.
- While the mixture is still hot, knead it to a soft dough and make 11 equal sized balls. Keep the balls covered until you finish making them all.
How to make modak
- Take a ball and make a dent in the center. Dip the fingers in water. In a circular motion begin to spread the dough to make a thin disc using thumb and forefingers on both the hands.
- Pinch off little dough on the outer side of the disc to make pleats at a distance of ½ to ¾ inch. (refer pics below). If the dough breaks, keep dipping your fingers in the water and moisten the dough.
- Place the 1 to 1½ tbsp coconut mixture in the center. Bring together all the pleats and join them carefully. If needed moisten the fingers and join them.
- Next place all the modakam in a steamer basket layered with a moist cloth.
- Bring water to a rolling boil in a steamer and steam the modaks for 10 minutes.
- Rest modak for 10 minutes and serve.
NUTRITION
Notes
Making rice flour for modak
Wash & soak 3/4 to 1 cup raw rice in water for at least 2 hours. Drain the rice to a colander and leave it for 30 mins.
Spread on a cotton cloth and air dry or fan dry for 30 to 40 mins. When the rice is slightly moist then powder them in a mixer.
Sieve it through a fine flour sieve. Dry the flour in a tray until it turns completely dry. It may take few hours.
Refrigerate and use within 2 weeks.
Preparation for modak recipe
Making puran or filling
1. Heat a pan with 1 tsp ghee. Add 2 cups grated coconut with 1 cup grated or powdered jaggery. Stir and begin to cook on a medium flame.
2. The mixture turns gooey after a while. Continue to cook. Keep stirring to prevent burning. When the moisture evaporates and the mixture thickens, add cardamom powder and switch off the stove. Set this aside to cool.
Making dough
3. Pour 1 cup water to a pot or pan. Add salt and 1 tsp ghee to the water.
4. Bring it to a boil. Switch off the stove.
5. Add 1 cup flour and stir well.
6. The flour turns to a lumpy mixture.
7. Cover and set aside to cool down little.
8. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Knead it while it is still slightly hot. Do not allow to cool down completely.
9. If needed, dip your fingers in more water and knead the mixture to a soft but non sticky dough.
10. Divide the mixture to 11 balls.
How to make modak without mould
11. Knead each ball to soft. Cover them with a moist cloth. Take a ball, dip your fingers in water. Using your thumb make a dent in the center. Begin to spread the dough in a circular motion with your thumb and fore fingers using both hands. When ever needed, you can dip the fingers in water. When the dough turns sticky, you can use ghee instead of water.
12. We need a evenly shaped round puri. The edges have to thin than the center.
13. With the help of thumb and forefinger gently pinch off very little dough to make a pleat on the outer side. With half to 3/4 inch apart you can make as many pleats as possible.
14. Place 1 to 1.5 tbsp. cooled coconut jaggery mixture.
15. Bring together all the pleats gently and seal giving a good shape.
method 2 of making modak recipe
You can also make a cup shape out of the rice flour first and then pinch of little flour to make pleats. Put the filling in the center.
join the edges. But the first method i showed is fairly easy for beginners.
16. If you find the above method difficult, you can try this one. You can also shape this like a Kadubu or Nevri or karanji. Make a puri, place the coconut jaggery on one half.
17. Cover with the other half. Seal off by pressing both the edges with moist fingers (dip fingers in water). Tuck in little dough from the edges to give a nice finish. You can also use a greased fork to give a nice design. Keep the modakams covered with a moist cloth.
Steaming modak
18. Bring water to a rolling boil in a steamer. Place a thin cotton cloth in a wide bowl or steam basket. Place the modak in the basket and steam for 10 minutes. SWitch off and rest for a while.
Offer steamed modak to Lord Ganesha.
Bhavani says
Hi.. ma’am thanks for sharing this recipe.. I loved it.. I’ve tried it ma’am but I had some problem with my dough i don’t know what happen? It becomes so hard like a stone and while I’m doing pleats the dough was breaking even after I’m dipping my fingers in water I don’t know ma’am what to do? Which type of flour can I use ma’am? Please Advise me.. I want make modak like you ma’am please advise me..
Thank you..
swasthi says
Hi Bhavani
You are welcome. I understand that the water was not enough to make the dough. That’s the reason it turned hard. Best is to use home made rice flour. I have shared the method in the notes. The rice flour has to be very fine. You can also use rice flour labelled as kozhukattai maavu. After making the dough, if the water is not enough you must sprinkle more water and make smooth soft dough. Hope this helps.
Bhavani says
Ma’am thank you for sharing this recipe.. I’ve tried it but I had some problem with my dough it becomes so hard like stone and while I’m doing pleats it becomes so hard I don’t know ma’am what to do? Which type of flour can I use ma’am I want to make modak like you.. please advise me ma’am..
Lavan.c.a. Usa says
Awesome, i want mummy to do it for V.S.
Shreya Jain says
Do we need fresh coconut for filling or dry will work?
swasthi says
Hi Shreya
If making for prasad to offer Ganesha, then fresh is good. If you are just making it for consumption you can make with desiccated coconut
Meenakshi says
I made the rice flour to make modak. I dried it for 1 hour but still little moist. Should I keep in the sun or dry for longer
swasthi says
Hi Meenakshi
You don’t need to sun dry. Just spread it in a wide plate and dry on the table for few more hours. If doesn’t dry completely it is just fine. You can keep it in the fridge. You can use less water for making the dough if the flour is moist.
Prasanna says
My jaggery and coconut mix always get dried and becomes very hard which makes me unable to keep inside modak, can you please suggest something
swasthi says
Hi Prasanna
Thanks for rating the recipe. If the coconut jaggery mix is overcooked it turns hard after cooling down. While cooking the mixture, excess moisture must evaporate but yet it must be juicy. To check, take a spoonful of the cooked mixture and drop on a plate. Press it down hard with another fresh spoon you must see some moisture coming out of it. This moisture will thicken as it cools down so test it when the mixture is very hot. This is the right consistency to take off from the pan. Hope this helps.
Vaidehi says
Hi This is the first time I will be making modak on my own. Looking forward to try these for Ganesh chaturthi. Can you tell me some simple dishes I can try along with modak. Thank you
swasthi says
Hi Vaidehi
You are welcome
Sorry forgot to reply you. You can make besan ladoo, coconut ladoo, or rava ladoo. Pls check the ganesh chaturthi recipes here
poonam says
Hi Swathi
Thank you for such an easy and simple trick for making pleats. I used to make from puri too but making pleats was always a challenge. I loved ypur trick. I am going to try that today.
Thanks again.
swasthi says
Welcome Poonam
Yes do try it. thanks for the comment
Vijeta Salla says
nice
lakshmi says
Can i use idli maker for dis coz dont have steamer. Looks delicious we dont know dis recipe, want to try
swasthi says
Yes Lakshmi,
you can use idli steamer, cooker or even a normal pot with lid that has a small vent. You can get the moulds in mustafa or jyoti stores. You can also use the dim sum mould we get in fair price.
Rakesh Bhatia says
Thank you for this excellent recipe, worked wonderfully well and made my day!
Deepika says
Tastes perfect.
Thank you 🙂
Yashi says
Hi can i use some dry fruits also in the mix. (kaju, badam, kishmish nd chuara)
swasthi says
Yes you can use
Yashi says
Thnx???
sunita says
Thanks for the so wonder ful recepee.
Noopur Chaughule says
Hi
Your Modak look absolutely stunning as compared to the others out there. I would like to know what kind of rice is used for making the flour?
swasthi says
Hi Noopur
Thanks. I have used store bought rice flour. i guess flour made from raw rice works the best.
Deekshanna says
Superb
swasthi says
Thank you
avinash kondar says
Nice great
swasthi says
thanks
Latha Saran says
Hi mam tried this kolukatai and came well and got good shape but not that much soft… wat to do? To get soft modak?
Thank u so much so helpful mam this is 1st time im doing and came well too
Latha Saran says
Forget To rate 🙂
swasthi says
Hi Latha
I think not soft – could be due to over steaming or the dough must have dried out. Also To keep them soft, we need to keep them covered before and even after steaming. I too made these yesterday and offered to god. By the time the puja was over they turned hard since they were left on the puja table uncovered for few hours till we finished the puja. Next time make sure they are kept covered. Happy ganesh chaturthi wishes to you all.
Thanks for the comment.
laha saran says
Hi mam
S today tried it came very well mam… so soo soft and yummy mam.. thanks a lot as u said i kept it covered served hot my kozhukattai came awesome 🙂 thank u mam and loved it <3 …
swasthi says
Welcome Latha.
glad they came out good.
Shaifali says
Swathi, my rice dough was very brittle and I was unable to make pleats like how you have shown in your post. Please advise.
swasthi says
Hi shaifali
Mostly It has dried out . Dip your fingers in water and knead the balls just before you begin to make the pleats. You must dampen your fingers a few times until the dough becomes moist. Keep the rest of the dough covered with a moist cloth. Hope this helps
veena says
wow! perfectly done and nicely presented Swathi
Ashwini says
Yummy! delicious
swasthi says
Thanks Ashwini
Ana says
Superb
swasthi says
Thank you