WATCH: How to make steamed modaks

Rediff reader Sheetal Alva shows us how to make Lord Ganesha's favourite sweet -- modak.
Scroll down to watch the video. You can share your recipes too!

Makes: 12 to 13 modaks

Ingredients

For the mould

• 100 gm rice flour
• 2 tsp oil or ghee
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 cups water

For the stuffing

• 100 gm grated coconut 
• 50 gm jaggery
• 2 tsp oil or ghee
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tsp poppy seeds (khus khus)

Method

For the mould

• Heat 2 cups of water in a kadhai and bring it to boil.
• Add ¼ tsp of salt and 1 tsp of ghee. Stir to mix well.
• Slowly add rice flour to the water.
• Turn off the flame and transfer the dough mix to a plate.
• Allow the mixture cool.
• Knead the dough till it's soft.
• Apply some ghee on your palm while kneading so that the dough doesn't stick.
• Knead it while is warm.

For the stuffing

• Heat a kadhai on low flame.
• Add 1 tsp ghee, grated coconut and jaggery. Mix well.
• Add cardamom and poppy seeds. Stir well till mixture turns brown.
• Transfer it to a vessel.

Making the modak

• Grease the mould with some oil/ghee.
• Take a small ball of the dough and press it in the mould.
• Close the mould and press along the edges slowly to make a pit.
• Put the stuffing in the pit and close the base with some dough.
• Open the mould to remove the modak and place it on the plate.
• Repeat with the rest of the dough.
• To steam the modak, boil some water in a steamer.
• Grease the steam plate with some oil and place the modaks one by one.
• Steam cook on low to medium flame for 15 minutes.
• Turn off the flame and let the modaks cool down.

Tip: Do not over heat jaggery. Keep it light brown.
Do not over steam the modaks; else they will become hard.

Watch the video below to see how you can make steamed modaks at home.
Video: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com

 Dear readers, you can send us your favourite recipes too.

Write in to us at getahead@rediff.co.in (subject: Ganesha Recipe) with your NAME, HOMETOWN and any interesting details about the origin of the recipe, along with a photograph of the recipe if possible.

We'll publish the best ones right here on Rediff.com.