Deep Fried Modak for Ganapati Bappa

Anant Chaturdashi is deemed one of the most auspicious festivals by the Hindu community. On this day, the Hindu devotees worship Lord Vishnu and Lord Ganesha. It is believed that by observing a fast on this day one gets freed from all hindrances. Ganesh visarjan is also done on this day. Ganapti’s most favourite deep fried modaks stuffed with coconut jaggery filling.

YouTube link:

https://youtube.com/shorts/QsmEKkEg6WM?si=WEYgwqrzHyVv5buA

Ingredients:

For the Filling:

· Freshly Grated Coconut – 2 cups

· Jaggery – 1 1/2 cup (make small chunks)

· Ghee – 1.5 tbsp

· White sesame seeds – 1 tbsp (roasted)

· Cardamom Powder – 1 tsp

For the Dough:

· Maida flour – 2 cups

· Barik Rava – little less then ½ cup

· Ghee – ¼ cup

· Salt to taste

· Water as required

Oil for deep frying the Modaks.

Method:

For the Filling:

· Dry roast sesame seeds until they start to splutter and keep them aside.

· In a large kadai heat ghee and sauté freshly grated coconut.

· Sauté until coconut turns aromatic.

· Now add the jaggery and mix well.

· Keep cooking on medium flame until the jaggery melts.

· Cook until the mixture thickens and dries.

· Add the sesame seeds and cardamom powder. Mix it well.

· Let the Panchakajjaya cool down. You can use this to stuff the modaks for Ganapati.

For making Dough & Modak:

· Take a large mixing bowling, add semolina and little water, leave it aside for 10-12 mins.

· Now heat the ghee, in the mixing bowl add maida, salt and hot ghee. Mix the flour using the fingers, see to it that the ghee is mixed in nicely.

· In order to check take a handful of flour in your fist, press it hard and leave it. If it remains intact that means the ghee proportion in enough for the dough. This will make your modak crispy.

· Now start adding very little to bind the dough. Knead it into a soft dough.

· Let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes.

· Knead once again after giving rest and divide into very small equal dough balls.

· Apply little flour and then roll the puris

· Roll it out like a poori in 2.5 inch to 3 inch in diameter. Once rolled, place little stuffing.

· Make close pleats on the edges, then join the pleats giving a pointy top to the modaks.

· Keep the modaks covered with a damp cloth till the modak are ready.

· Take a kadai with oil in it. Once the oil starts boiling, deep fry the modaks on medium flame.

· Once it turns golden brown in colour, remove it from the oil and let it cool dowm.

· Once cooled you can store it in an air tight container.