Modak
Today is Lord Ganesha’s birthday, and those of us who celebrate it, already know that his favourite sweet is the modak .
Ganesha is popularly known as the God of wisdom, but did you know that the modaks symbolise nuggets of wisdom?
Legend has it that the devas once visited Shiva and Parvati and presented them with a divine modak , with a condition that only the wisest and most knowledgeable had a right to it. Parvati wanted to present it to her sons, but they were unwilling to share it, so she set them a task to go around the world three times. Whoever finished the fastest would win it.
While Kartikeya set forth to circle the world, wise Ganesha simply circled his parents, as they were the world to him. Since that day, such has been his love for the sweet that Ganesha is always seen pictured with a modak or a platter of modaks beside him.
The modak in Marathi, is also known as modakam or kudumu in Telugu, kadubu in Kannada, kozhakatta in Malayalam and kozhukattai in Tamil. It is a dumpling made from rice or wheat flour with a filling of grated coconut and jaggery.
The two popular styles in which modaks are made are steaming ( ukadiche modak ) and frying ( talalele modak ) and while the fried version gives a crunchy texture, steamed modaks are soft, luscious and ideally enjoyed with a drizzle of warm ghee or mildly sweetened coconut milk.
The traditional modak filling is made using fresh grated coconut and sugar or jaggery, along with nuts, raisins and a pinch of cardamom. This mix is cooked together till almost dry, cooled and filled into the rice dough balls before being shaped into the customary onion bulb.
It is then fried or steamed. This modak prasad is then offered to the lord in heaps of 21 modaks .
Contemporary cooks have taken the modak to new heights. Fillings now include khova , chana dal , dark chocolate, fruit puree gels, raspberry, white chocolate ganache and even pistachio marzipan to name a few. However, the traditional version is still the go-to recipe for this festival. And till such a time as traditions exist, may there be many modaks of wisdom coming your way.
Dark chocolate Modak
Ingredients
The dark chocolate modak adds a lovely twist to the traditional recipe.
Ingredients
2 cup rice flour
2 cup grated coconut
1/4 teaspoon powdered green cardamom
1 teaspoon salt
2 cup powdered jaggery
100 gms of dark chocolate - grated
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Method
Dry roast the coconut and keep it aside. Dissolve the jaggery in 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. When it starts to thicken, add the roasted coconut, cardamom powder and dark chocolate. Stir well. Remove and keep aside. To make the dough Now add 2 cups of hot water to the rice flour. Add oil and salt. Stir well to mix and ensure that there are no lumps. Knead while warm to make a smooth dough. Cover and rest for half an hour. Break off small pieces and shape into small cups and add a spoonful of the coconut-jaggery filling and chocolate. Shape in a modak press or by hand. Steam them till done Serve hot with chocolate sauce or thickened coconut milk.
( The writer is the Area Director, Food Production The Park, Hyderabad )
