Preparation:
This sweet, stuffed with coconut and jaggery, is made for the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi in August - September in Bombay.
Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Makes 20
1. Boil 2 1/2 cups of water. Add salt, oil and slowly stir in the rice flour so that no lumps are left.
2. Cook while continuing to stir until the dough turns thick. 3. Remove the dough from the fire and reserve.
4. Heat jaggery in 2 cups of water to make a thick syrup. Test its consistency by putting a drop in cold water - it should remain firm.
5. When this consistency is reached, add the coconut gratings and cook on a low flame, stirring until the mixture is thick.
6. Add cardamom powder and cook until the mixture is almost dry. Cool.
7. Divide the rice dough in 20 equal portions. Take one portion in the center of an oiled palm and flatten with the thumb of the other hand to form a round disc about the size of the palm.
8. Place a small portion of the jaggery - coconut mixture in the center of the disc, lift the edges of the disc and, by making small pleats, cover the mixture from all sides.
9. Close the top of this modak by pressing the ends of the pleats carefully together.
10. Make all the 20 raw modaks in this fashion.
11. Put a little water in a pressure cooker. Place the raw modaks carefully on a piece of muslin over the perforated plate above the water level without breaking them.
12. Steam-cook in batches without putting the weight on the lid of the cooker. 13. Serve hot with a spoon of melted clarified butter (ghee) poured on each modak. |
