Modak , sweet balls made from rice flour, traditionally prepared in honor of Ganesha. This gluten-free dessert, topped with coconut and jaggery (unrefined cane sugar), is steamed and is popular during Diwali. Modak have a soft texture and are flavored with spices like cardamom. The recipe itself is easy but folding the cake is difficult without a mold. I didn't dare post the photo of my modak, because I cooked them too hard and too long, so they flattened out 🥲.
Preparation
Ingredients
Preparation
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Preparation of the dough: Heat the water with the ghee in a saucepan. Reduce the heat to low, add the rice flour and stir until you have a paste or dough pieces. Cover with a lid and let cool. Prepare the filling while waiting.
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Filling: In a pan, heat the jaggery and grated coconut until the mixture is smooth. Add the cardamom and let cool.
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Assembly: Gather the pieces of dough and add water if necessary (1 to 2 Tbsp). Form small balls with the rice paste, which you knead well to obtain a very soft and malleable ball. Press on your ball to make a small circle then, with your thumb, make an indentation inside the circle (the base must be thicker than the round), to obtain the shape of a cup, then pinch the dough to the outside to make creases. Finally, fill each shape with some filling. Close well by bringing each fold together, in the shape of a modak.
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garnish the modak
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Steaming: Steam the modaks (not too hot) for about 10 minutes. Serve hot or warm.
