Modak – Sweet Rice Dumpling

Modak is a delicious sweet steamed rice dumpling filled with coconut and nuts. It is also vegan and gluten free. This is a very popular sweet for Ganesh Chaturthi festival which is a celebration in western and south India.

Recipe will make 10.

Preparation time 15 minutes

Cooking time 30 minutes

Ingredients:

For Dough

• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 1 cup water
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon oil

For Filling

• 1/3 cup freshly shredded coconut; I am using frozen shredded coconut this works well, available in Indian grocery stores
• 3 tablespoons almonds coarsely ground
• 3 tablespoons jaggery finely chopped, gur (unrefined cane sugar) available in Indian grocery stores
• 1/8 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 1 tablespoon oil

Method

1. Use a small frying pan, over low heat, and dry roast almonds for about one minute. Add oil, coconut and jaggery cook stirring continually until jaggery has melted and mixture becomes like soft dough, this should take about three to four minutes. Set aside.
2. Boil the water in a pan with salt and oil, after water comes to boil lower the heat to low and add the rice flour, mix it well. Remove from the heat and cover the pan. Let it sit for about fifteen minutes or until it is warm.
3. Take the rice flour mixture in a bowl, lightly oil your palm and knead the dough to make soft pliable dough. Dived the dough into 10 equal parts, and make them into smooth balls.
4. Take one part of the dough and with your fingers flatten the edges to about three-inch in diameter, leaving the center a little thicker than the edges.
5. Place one teaspoon of the filling in the center. Sealed the filling shaping it into dome shape. Proceed to make all modaks same way.
6. Steam the modaks in covered pan over medium heat about 10 minutes; finished modak will have a little shiney glazed.