Modak Recipe Instant Mawa Modak

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

What is Modak?

Modak is a rice flour dumpling stuffed with coconut and jaggery sweet mixture. It is a gluten-free Maharashtrian sweet made to celebrate the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. According to folklore, Modak is considered Lord Ganesha’s favourite sweet dish. There are a variety of modak recipes such as ukadiche modak, mawa (khoya) modak, nariyal modak, or modern versions such as chocolate modak.

This is a delicious instant modak recipe that requires minimal ingredients. It is an easy-to-follow, fuss-free modak recipe for the beginners. There is no steaming process or stuffing required. Saffron gives a beautiful golden colour to the modak.

The Festival Of Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi is a Hindu festival celebrated to welcome the Lord Ganesha to earth. There are a lot of traditional dishes prepared to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi. Modak is one of the essential sweets to be made on occasion. Apart from modak, coconut ladoo, karanji, kheer, sabudana khichdi, puran poli, and many other festive sweets and snacks are prepared to offer Lord Ganesha.

My Tried and True Tips

Use unsweetened khova for this modak recipe. If you are using sweet khova, taste first, and add sugar accordingly. While frying semolina (rava) and khoya do not leave the pan unattended as the mixture burns quickly. You have to continuously stir it for even frying. You can use powdered jaggery or light brown sugar instead of white sugar to sweeten the modak. But make sure to use powdered sugar, not granulated. Do not add sugar to the hot khoya mixture. It should be lukewarm to touch and not piping hot. Otherwise, sugar will start melting, making the dough too sticky and difficult to mould. If khoya is unavailable, combine ½ cup milk with 1 ½ cup milk powder (dairy whitener). Cook them over a low flame, and continuously stir till you get a soft, non-sticky dough. Flavour the dough with saffron, cardamom, and sugar. If you do not have modak mould, shape a lemon size dough ball using your fingers like a potli or dumpling, having a pointing tip and round bottom. Using a toothpick or bamboo skewer, make curved lines at equal distances from top to bottom.

Watch Instant Modak Video

How To Store

Modak remains fresh and soft for 1 – 2 hours at room temperature. I prefer storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The texture becomes firm and remains fresh for 10 – 15 days. In cold climatic conditions, you can leave them at the kitchen counter in an airtight container for 1 – 2 days.