Recipe: Bethica's Chana Dal Modak

Bethica Das makes her modaks for Ganesh Chaturthi with roasted chana dal. "It is very easy to prepare and can be made in a very short time," is her suggestion.

Sweetened with sugar or jaggery powder, the nuts and ghee enrichen the sweets further.

Her modaks taste quite different from the traditional steamed, rice flour-wrapped jaggery-coconut ones and serving Chana Dal Modaks along with asli, old-fashioned fare adds variety.

You can make this Ganesh Chaturthi a total modak fest and a chance to show off your modak-making prowess and serve up all kinds of modaks, like Bounty Chocolate Modaks, Motichoor Modaks, Coconut Modaks, Dry Fruit Modaks, Pista Modaks, Millet Seed Modaks, Mawa Modaks. And use this 100 per cent authentic recipe to put together Ukadiche Modaks. 

Dear Readers! May the choicest blessings of Lord Ganesh fill your homes.

Chana Dal Modak

Servings: 6-7

• 1 cup ground roasted chana dal (made from roasting the whole dal and grinding)
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 10 cashews
• 10 almonds
• 15 pistachios
• 1/3 cup powdered or icing sugar 
• ¼ tsp green elaichi or cardamom powder
• Dry rose petals, crushed
• 1 tsp rose water
• 2-3 tbsp milk, or as required
• Modak mould

Method

• In a blender grind the almonds, cashews and pistachios into a fine powder.
  Keep aside.
• In a frying pan, heat the ghee, over medium heat and roast the chana dal powder for 1 to 2 minutes, until it releases an aroma.
  Take off heat and transfer into a bowl.
  Cool and keep aside.
  Once cool, add the cashew-almond-pistachio powder. 
  Add the powdered sugar (reserve some for garnishing the modak), cardamom powder, dry rose petals and the rose water.
  Add the milk.
  Mix well until it all comes together to form a smooth dough.
  Grease the modak mould with ghee.
  Fill it with the modak mixture and pack tightly.
  Demould carefully and transfer the modak to a plate.
  Repeat the process with the remaining mixture.
  Sprinkle a little powdered sugar over the modaks and offer to Lord Ganesha.

Bethica Das is a Sharjah-based food blogger. Please do have a look at her recipes here.

• REDIFF FOOD