Monday, September 15, 2008

Modak's for my Chota Ganesh!

I am talking about my dear son. My mom calls him her chota Ganesh (baby Ganesh- Ganesh is an Indian god). Even before I was pregnant and my mom was pestering me to have a baby, she would refer to the baby as chota Ganesh , as if she knew even then that my first one would be a boy. Anyway, finally her dream came true and her adorable chotu Ganesh was born almost 9 months back :). So, just before Ganesh Chaturthi, I was cribbing to my sister of how I always miss this time of the year and all the festivities back home and she goes, your chota Ganesh is at home, what are you cribbing about...just celebrate him!!! So, we did a small Ganesh Puja at home and I made modaks -my all time favourite prasad. I tried making them for the VERY FIRST TIME and they came out good. So, here's the step by step recipe (this is how my mom makes it).

For filling -
2 cups grated coconut (wet or dry). I used the frozen wet coconut.
1/2 cup jaggery (you can also use 1 cup if you want it sweeter)
Elaichi (Cardamom) powder (from 2 pods is sufficient).
Few strands of Kesar (gives a lovely golden orange color)

Mix all above ingredients together and cook for 10-15 mniutes until all the jaggery melts. Turn off the heat and allow to cool.

All ingredients mixed together



Cooked filling



For the coating -
2 cups whole wheat flour
2-4 tablesoons oil (or more if you want flaky dough)
A pinch of salt
Water to knead the flour

Knead the flour with the above ingredients. Do not make it too soft. It should be hard enough to roll it without using any flour or oil.

To make the modaks, roll out one small portion of dough, fill it with the above filling and close it as shown in the pictures below. This takes some practice. Fry these on low flame and done! The modaks are ready. Hopefully, by the time my son starts eating regular solid food, I will have mastered the art of making modaks!

Rolled dough with filling


Giving it the modak shape


Modaks before frying


Frying them finally


Finished product


This recipe goes to Pallavi of All Things Yummy, who is hosting the Yummy Festival Feast-Diwali event.