About Fried Modak
Modak are dumpling like sweets that are Bhagwan Ganesha’s favorite. While the steamed modak made with rice flour (also known as ukadiche modak) is the most popularly made sweet during the festival, there are also many other variations. Everyear, during the festival, I make steamed modak or Patholi (Stuffed Rice Sweet) or the easy to make sweet, Suji Halwa or any laddu like Rava Ladoo or Besan Ladoo. Even though fried modak is comparatively simpler and easier to make, my personal preference is the steamed modak made in the traditional way. Fried modak are also called talniche modak in Marathi language. For the fried modak, the outer covering of the dumpling is made from whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour (maida). My recipe features whole wheat flour and thus it is a bit dense as compared to the fried modak made from all-purpose flour which will have a lighter texture. I have also used desiccated coconut instead of fresh coconut. If using desiccated coconut, then follow the recipe as is. If using fresh coconut, then do not add water to the filling. Make sure to use finely grated desiccated coconut instead of longer or thick shreds. This recipe of the outer cover is from my mom’s recipe of Karanji. But I have made them with whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour. For the festival, if you are wondering what to make, then do check this list of about 88 Ganesh Chaturthi Recipes. This year Ganesh Chaturthi is starting on 10 September 2021.
How to make Fried Modak
Make Dough
1: Sieve 2 cups whole wheat flour (atta) with ½ teaspoon salt or as required in a mixing bowl. Then heat 2 tablespoons of oil until warm or lightly hot in a small bowl or small pan and add this warm oil to the sifted flour. If you prefer, you can use 1 cup of whole wheat flour and 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Instead of oil you can also use ghee. 2: Add water as required in parts and knead to a smooth but firm dough. Do not make the dough soft like a roti or chapati dough. It should be firm and stiff dough. A soft dough will make the crust soft and not crispy or crunchy. 3: Once the dough is kneaded, keep it covered for 20 to 30 minutes.
Make Sweet Stuffing
4: In a thick bottomed kadai or pan take the following ingredients to make the sweet stuffing:
1.5 cups desiccated coconut1.5 cups jaggery powder 1 to 2 tablespoons roasted white sesame seeds1 to 1.5 teaspoons cardamom powder 1 to 2 pinches of nutmeg powder
NOTE: If you use fresh coconut, then do not add water as shown in step 6 below. TIP: Use finely grated desiccated coconut having a finer texture instead of longer or thick shreds. 5: Mix them all with a spoon. 6: Add ½ cup water. 7: Cook the whole filling mixture on a low or medium heat stirring from time to time. 8: Stir and cook for some 8 to 10 minutes until the jaggery melts, the water dries up and mixture looks soft with some moistness in it. There should not be any water or any liquids in this stuffing mixture. Keep the filling aside to cool at room temperature.
Assemble and Shape
9: Pinch a small sized ball from the dough and roll it in your palms to form a smooth neat ball. Place it on a dusted board and dust lightly with some flour on top. 10: With a rolling pin gently make a thin round dusting the surface or the dough ball with some dry flour. Roll to about 3 to 4.5 inches diameter. Please remember to roll the dough thin or medium-thin but not thick. While rolling the center can be a little thick but the edges have to be thin as when you bring together the edges the thickness increases and on frying it becomes pretty dense and hard. 11: Take the rolled dough circle on your palm add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the filling in the center of the thin round. This is an optional step – with a brush or with your finger tip, apply water on the circular edge. Keep a small bowl of water on your work surface. 13: Now start folding and pinching the edges of the dough one by one. This comes from practice. 14: Bring all the pinched ends together, join them and taper the center. Ensure that the modak are sealed well and there is no opening or gap. Otherwise the filling will come out while frying. Some of it will get stuck on the crust and get caramelized or browned while the remaining will get burnt in the oil. 15: After stuffing and shaping, keep aside the prepared wheat modaks. Cover with a cloth so that the dough does not dry out.
Make Fried Modak
16: Heat oil as needed in a kadai or wok. Carefully, place the prepared wheat modak in medium hot oil. When the outer crust has become light golden, turn over gently with a slotted spoon and continue to fry. This way turn over each wheat modak as needed a few times and fry them till they look crispy and golden. The oil has to be medium hot while frying. Do not have a low temperature or a very hot temperature of the oil. Frying in a oil which is not hot, will make the fried modak absorb more oil. A very hot oil, will keep the center and the insides of the crust undercooked. 17: Place the fried wheat modak on clean kitchen paper towels. Offer to Bhagwan Ganesha during pooja. You can also serve them as a sweet snack. Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. Puran Poli Recipe Chocolate Modak Coconut Ladoo Recipe | Nariyal ke Laddu Made In 3 Unique Ways Boondi Laddu | Boondi ke Ladoo This Fried Modak post from the blog archives first published in September 2012 has been republished and updated on 2nd September 2021.
title: “Fried Modak How To Make Fried Modak Wheat Modak " ShowToc: true date: “2024-10-23” author: “Sarah Stuber”
About Fried Modak
Modak are dumpling like sweets that are Bhagwan Ganesha’s favorite. While the steamed modak made with rice flour (also known as ukadiche modak) is the most popularly made sweet during the festival, there are also many other variations. Everyear, during the festival, I make steamed modak or Patholi (Stuffed Rice Sweet) or the easy to make sweet, Suji Halwa or any laddu like Rava Ladoo or Besan Ladoo. Even though fried modak is comparatively simpler and easier to make, my personal preference is the steamed modak made in the traditional way. Fried modak are also called talniche modak in Marathi language. For the fried modak, the outer covering of the dumpling is made from whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour (maida). My recipe features whole wheat flour and thus it is a bit dense as compared to the fried modak made from all-purpose flour which will have a lighter texture. I have also used desiccated coconut instead of fresh coconut. If using desiccated coconut, then follow the recipe as is. If using fresh coconut, then do not add water to the filling. Make sure to use finely grated desiccated coconut instead of longer or thick shreds. This recipe of the outer cover is from my mom’s recipe of Karanji. But I have made them with whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour. For the festival, if you are wondering what to make, then do check this list of about 88 Ganesh Chaturthi Recipes. This year Ganesh Chaturthi is starting on 10 September 2021.
How to make Fried Modak
Make Dough
1: Sieve 2 cups whole wheat flour (atta) with ½ teaspoon salt or as required in a mixing bowl. Then heat 2 tablespoons of oil until warm or lightly hot in a small bowl or small pan and add this warm oil to the sifted flour. If you prefer, you can use 1 cup of whole wheat flour and 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Instead of oil you can also use ghee. 2: Add water as required in parts and knead to a smooth but firm dough. Do not make the dough soft like a roti or chapati dough. It should be firm and stiff dough. A soft dough will make the crust soft and not crispy or crunchy. 3: Once the dough is kneaded, keep it covered for 20 to 30 minutes.
Make Sweet Stuffing
4: In a thick bottomed kadai or pan take the following ingredients to make the sweet stuffing:
1.5 cups desiccated coconut1.5 cups jaggery powder 1 to 2 tablespoons roasted white sesame seeds1 to 1.5 teaspoons cardamom powder 1 to 2 pinches of nutmeg powder
NOTE: If you use fresh coconut, then do not add water as shown in step 6 below. TIP: Use finely grated desiccated coconut having a finer texture instead of longer or thick shreds. 5: Mix them all with a spoon. 6: Add ½ cup water. 7: Cook the whole filling mixture on a low or medium heat stirring from time to time. 8: Stir and cook for some 8 to 10 minutes until the jaggery melts, the water dries up and mixture looks soft with some moistness in it. There should not be any water or any liquids in this stuffing mixture. Keep the filling aside to cool at room temperature.
Assemble and Shape
9: Pinch a small sized ball from the dough and roll it in your palms to form a smooth neat ball. Place it on a dusted board and dust lightly with some flour on top. 10: With a rolling pin gently make a thin round dusting the surface or the dough ball with some dry flour. Roll to about 3 to 4.5 inches diameter. Please remember to roll the dough thin or medium-thin but not thick. While rolling the center can be a little thick but the edges have to be thin as when you bring together the edges the thickness increases and on frying it becomes pretty dense and hard. 11: Take the rolled dough circle on your palm add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the filling in the center of the thin round. This is an optional step – with a brush or with your finger tip, apply water on the circular edge. Keep a small bowl of water on your work surface. 13: Now start folding and pinching the edges of the dough one by one. This comes from practice. 14: Bring all the pinched ends together, join them and taper the center. Ensure that the modak are sealed well and there is no opening or gap. Otherwise the filling will come out while frying. Some of it will get stuck on the crust and get caramelized or browned while the remaining will get burnt in the oil. 15: After stuffing and shaping, keep aside the prepared wheat modaks. Cover with a cloth so that the dough does not dry out.
Make Fried Modak
16: Heat oil as needed in a kadai or wok. Carefully, place the prepared wheat modak in medium hot oil. When the outer crust has become light golden, turn over gently with a slotted spoon and continue to fry. This way turn over each wheat modak as needed a few times and fry them till they look crispy and golden. The oil has to be medium hot while frying. Do not have a low temperature or a very hot temperature of the oil. Frying in a oil which is not hot, will make the fried modak absorb more oil. A very hot oil, will keep the center and the insides of the crust undercooked. 17: Place the fried wheat modak on clean kitchen paper towels. Offer to Bhagwan Ganesha during pooja. You can also serve them as a sweet snack. Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. Puran Poli Recipe Chocolate Modak Coconut Ladoo Recipe | Nariyal ke Laddu Made In 3 Unique Ways Boondi Laddu | Boondi ke Ladoo This Fried Modak post from the blog archives first published in September 2012 has been republished and updated on 2nd September 2021.
