Thursday, August 30, 2007

Ukdiche Modak (JFI Rice)


Ukdiche Modak

15th September is Ganesh Chaturthi and I am already in a tizzy. We are celebrating the Ganpati Festival this year at our home in the UK for the first time and boy are we excited about it. I have always celebrated this festival with the rest of my family so there was always either my mother or then later my mom-in-law who were in charge .This is the first time that I am going to be completely responsible for the way things turn out. So I am excited as well as nervous.

I already have visions of how I am going to decorate the room in which the Ganesh idol will be placed and what kind of sweets I can make for the daily Puja and Aarti. Speaking of sweets brings to mind the Show Stopper of the Festival Lunch,which are these Ukdiche Modak.

Ganesh Chaturthi and Ukdiche Modak have to go hand in hand. I cannot celebrate this day without these delicious creations. So best way to ensure that you can make these, is to take a trial run a few days before the actual day of the festival. And that's exactly what I did today. This was also my idea of a perfect entry for
Sharmi's event JFI Rice .
Of course like every year I called Aai for the recipe and for the important tips to remember while making them. Although the recipe is very simple the actual procedure requires a bit of practice.

Here's how I went about it:

Ingredients (For 7 to 8 Modak):

For the outer cover:
1 katori (see pic) very fine Rice flour (sieve the rice flour to get a fine and soft flour),
1 katori water,
a pinch of salt,

Ingredients for the sweet stuffing:
2 cups fresh grated coconut,
1 cup jaggery (palm sugar)
1/2 tspn cardamom powder,
1/2 tspn grated nutmeg

Steel Katori used in all maharastrian homes


Procedure for Outer Cover:

1.In a steel container mix the rice flour ,water and salt to make a smooth paste(see pic)


2. Pressure cook this paste like you would do for dal in a pressure cooker, (thats about 3 whistles and simmer for 5 to 7 mins)


3. Let the pressure cooker cool for a while before opening it.


Uncooked Rice Flour Paste


Procedure for the stuffing:


1. While the pressure cooker cools down prepare the stuffing.


2. In a heavy bottom pan mix the grated coconut and jaggery and cook the mixture for 20 to 25 mins on a very low heat, stirring frequently


3. After switching off the heat add the cardamom and nutmeg. Let the stuffing cool


Coconut and Jaggery Stuffing


4. After the rice flour dough which is called Ukad has cooled down enough to handle ,oil your palms well and knead this dough till it becomes very pliable and soft enough to fill and shape into a modak. Along with oil also use water on your hands to further assist you with this.


5. Now make a lemon size ball of dough ,place it between two oiled plastic sheets and spread out the dough with your thumb to the size of a puri (see pic)


6. Place this puri on your wet palm and place a tblspn full of stuffing in the centre. Make vertical pleats in the dough by pinching it at regular intervals between your thumb and forefinger (I wish I could show you a pic but I was struggling so much at this stage that holding a camera was simply impossible)


7. Now close the modak from the top by creating tapering shape .(Gosh! I am so bad at explaining this) But I guess all marathi readers will know what I am taliking about and for others the final product should look like the modak in the main pic and the pic below. )


8. To steam these I used an idli cooker and idli moulds. Use any kind of good steamer. At home in India we normally place a soft muslin in a colander ,put all the modaks in it and then place the colander just inside the rim of the pressure cooker and steam for 15 to 17 mins. Alternatively they can be steamed in an electric rice cooker too. Imp Note: Before steaming, dip each modak quickly in water and then place in the steamer. This prevents the modaks from cracking


Modak


Serve with generous dollops of homemade ghee. No ! don't say no to Ghee. You must have Ghee (or Sajuk toop as we call it) with Modak.

I hope my post inspires many of you to try them out this year, that's the reason why I wanted to post these a little before the 15th and secondly let me now go over to Sharmi's for JFI: RICE

36 comments:

Finla said...

I love this dish
In Kerala we call it kochikotta ( i think it was called like this) as it is ages ago i ate it.

Anonymous said...

Hi Anupama,
Love modakas, we also call them kayi kadubu. We at home make similar to your procedure. some times steamed and most times deep fried modakas.

Anonymous said...

hey anupama :P those cutie pies look soooo delicious, every ganesh festival we wud recieve parcels of these from friends n neighbours n wud love to eat these as kids....i am definitely gonna try my hand at this ....u have made it simpler for me with ur beautiful n descriptive post ....thanks

Ashwini said...

Anupama sweetheart thats the best post on modak I have seen...bookmarked already ;-)
I dont have a cooker with whistles (futura), so how much time would you suggest after it comes to full pressure?
Also thanks for the tip about dipping in watet.

Rajitha said...

i love modaks.. we call them kozhakattai. actually the way you make the outer cover is much easier than the one we make, by stirring the stuff in the kadhai.. really get an arm workout. i think i will go this way.. very nice pics.

Sharmi said...

I am waiting for ganesh chaturti to come so that I can perpare this lovely modaks. the pics make it so easy to understand.

Pooja V said...

Wow..wht a great entry in welcome of the forthcoming festival. I can smell all d festive food already. I havn't tried them at all and hopefully would turn out good for chaturthi.

Dori said...

Oooh, lots of work...they look too tasty to wait, just give me one please :)~

Arts said...

Great entry.. I tried it the smae way for RCI Maharashtra..
Will make mom's fried modaks for ganesh chaturti!

Ananva said...

Awesome, was planning on making these, now your post has inspired me to really do it!

Manasi said...

I LOVE LOVE LOVE modak!! it is on my WANT OT HAVE...NOW! list when i go to India!

Tee said...

Wow, your modaks look perfect! I make Ukadiche modak every year for Ganesh Chaturthi too, and usually make it once before for some practice. But this time I haven't and so really scared how they will turn out. :)
This is an awesome entry for JFI!

Raaga said...

Lovely... you make it seem so easy.

Anu said...

hey anu! good one..this seems a lot easier than what we do (stirring the rice flour in a vessel..uff).

Chiniiz n Sugarz Mom.. Swati said...

Hi Anupama,
I chanced on your blog and I must say I love the recipies! and I know where to stop when I m thinking of what and how to make for the occassions!

Sreelu said...

Anupama such a beautiful modak, we too make it on Ganesh puja and we always looked forward to eating it

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous looking modaks anu. I have read about these before, but never tried making them. I have to give them a try sometime.
With those table decorating skills that you had shown in last few posts, I am sure your Ganesha idol room would look stunning. Please don't forget to post pictures....

Anupama said...

Happy cook: So its time you ate it again now isn't is?

Madhu, We too make Kadubu but from wheat flour and puran (which is a sweet stuffing made from split gram dal)

Hi Rahin, lovely to hear from you again after the picnic. I really wish I could have described it even better with more pics

Hi Ash, Thank you thank you so much. About the cooker: I would say cook for the same amount of time that you would for Toor dal.

Thanks Rajitha, this way of cooking the rice flour was started in our house by my mother. It is really easy this way.

Sharmi, I would say : Don't even wait for Ganesh Chaturthi. Just start on them.

Hi Pooja, thanks for coming over. I always associate the aroma of coconut and jaggery cooking together with the Ganpati Festival

Hi Meeso: The hard work is definitely worth it. I would love to give you a taste.

Hi Aarti, After the Picnic event I feel we are old friends. I too will try the fried version on one of the 6 days of the festival

Hi Ananva: Great that was my main motive behind making them a bit early and writing a post about them.

Manasi, Are you going to India soon? Where in India? I envy you.

Tee: Thanks Tee and I am going to try them one more time before D-Day.

Hi dear Raaga, believe me I was struggling while making them and need some more practice

Yes Anu, the pressure cooker really makes it much easier.

You are most welcome Swati. Thanks so much for letting me know that you were here. Do come back.

Sreelu, Thank you so much.

Hey Shilpa, Long time no see. Surprised to hear that you haven't made these yet. Yes I will definitely post the pics . Thankyou so much

Padma said...

Anupama, modal khup changle distey...sorry if I pronounced it wrongly...lost touch with marathi after coming to US, but your modak reminded me of ganesh chaturthi celelbrations back in Mumbai, My mom makes this for this festival.

timepass said...

Lovely pics of the modak..am sure it would tasted sooo yummy... U brought back memories of Mumbai and Ganpati bappa

Lissie said...

in malayalam we call it kozhukkatta. it is an evening snack which our grandmas used to make. christians make it on the eve of Good Friday.

Roopa said...

looks great love kadabu,great post and lovely entry :)

Anupama said...

Thankyou Padma, these dishes become even more special when you are away from home abroad.

Timepass: Mumbai and Pune both must be gearing up for this larger than life celebration already

Wow Lissie I did not know that even christians make these.

Thanks Roopa.

Chef Jeena said...

Hi there you have a lovely blog. I like this recipe I have never seen rice flour used in this way before the picture look great! Hi there you have a lovely blog Feel free to visit my blog too :) Click Here For Food Recipes

FH said...

End result looks delicious!!:))

shubs said...

Good to find a special recipe of Ukadiche Modak on your blog. Since you are in the UK, you might enjoy participating in the Unique Modak project !!

A team of 50 volunteers in UK, offering 1000 Ukadiche Moadk to Ganapati Bappa on 22nd Sept 2007. with Workshops / demos and Hand-on experience all of us have good fun...

More details at www.modak.demicoma.com

amna said...

this is my bro's fave snack :) by the way, was your event a one-time thing or are u planning on something else for this month?

Priyanka said...

Anupama i have got to hand it to u... the modaks luk perfect... when i made them for RCI for the first time, they kind of cracked. Urs r simply amazing:)

Anupama said...

Thanks for coming by Jeena. You are most welcome to Food-n-more.

Asha, Yes the end result was what I was really worried about. But all turned out well. Thank God!

Shubhada, Thanks for the link. I stay a bit far from London and don't think I can manage. But I do have a lot of modak lovers coming home this year.

Hellooo Nags: Lovely to talk to you again. That picnic event will be followed by others but I need to come up with a really good idea. I was so happy to see your enthusiasm.

Priyanka, I really don't know whether I deserve all your praise,because I too struggled while making them. but of course I loved reading your comment. Thank you

Sona - quick picks/pick quicks said...

hi there, new to your blog..your MeMe is quite interesting..and also really liked the way you have presented the Paneer Tikka sandwich..willd efinitely try the carrot ribbon..thanks for sharing..

Mansi said...

Oh god, these are heavenly!! my friends made these last year for ganpathi and I came to know how hard it is and so much work it takes!!! but eating them is blissful, and that's what i did!!:)

Sheetal said...

Hey Anupama,
Thanks for this delicious recipe!!was comtemplating earlier but now will definitely make them :)

sheetal said...

Hi Anupama,

Thanks a ton for the step-by-step recipe. Can't wait to try it out.:)

Have a wonderful Ganesh Chaturthi!

Thanks,
Sheetal

Unknown said...

Ganpati Bappa Morya! Wish You all a Very Very Happy 'Ganesh Chaturthi' May Ganpati Bappa Shower HIS Blessings on us always! Thks a lot Anupama for this lovely recipe. Wish I had seen it earlier. I made Modaks on 15th as well as today. Must say I struggled a lot and it came out just ok. When Mom made it it looked so simple. Anyways better luck for me next time.

Purnima said...

Anupama, Happy Chaturthi to you! Like last year, this year too I followed your recipe for Ukdiche modak. Thanks so much for sharing!

L2 said...

My stuffing became harder like chikki so what should I do to make it soft ?? Just want to know why it become so hard, I have done as you told in recipe. Please reply soon. Thanks