Why not think out of the box while deciding what modaks to make for each day of Ganpati Puja and surprise your guests and family?
There is no need to stick to the more conventional stuffings like nuts or khoya or mawa (milk solids).
Practically anything can be stuffed inside a modak and it will taste divine. Nor does the outer covering have to be only of rice flour. Rava (semolina) and maida are interesting variations.
We offer you the recipes for Baked Apple Modaks and Orange Juice Modaks. And Air Fryer Modaks that are a different take on the classic coconut jaggery modak and is made in the air-fryer with a maida covering.
Air-Fryer Modaks
Servings: 6
Ingredients
For the dough for the covering:
- 1 cup maida or all-purpose flour
- Pinch salt
- Ghee, for brushing or basting the modaks
- Warm water
For the stuffing:
- 2 cups grated fresh coconut
- 1 cup jaggery, melted
- ½ tsp elaichi or sesame powder
- 2 tsp til or sesame seeds
Method
For the dough:
- In a bowl, mix the maida with the ghee, salt and add warm water, gradually and knead into a soft dough.
Keep aside for 10 minutes.
For the stuffing
- In a bowl, add all the stuffing ingredients.
Mix well. - Keep aside.
Assembly
- Make 1½-inch diameter balls from the maida dough.
Make a small hollow in the centre of each ball and place a heaping tsp of the stuffing in it.
Now join the open edges together and give it a shape and a point (please see the pic above). - Repeat for the rest of the modaks
- Arrange the modaks on the tray inside the air fryer.
Brush the exterior of the modaks with a little ghee using a pastry brush.
Bake in the air fryer for 7 to 8 minutes at 180°C temperature, turning them once or twice in between.
If golden brown and cooked, take out or bake for a few minutes more. - Serve warm.
Baked Orange Juice Modaks
Servings: 6
Ingredients
For the orange syrup:
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ cup orange juice
For the modaks:
- ½ cup butter + extra for greasing the bowl in which the batter will be half-baked
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup yoghurt
- ¾ cup rava or semolina
- 1 cup maida or all-purpose flour
- ½ cup milk
- Modak mould
Method
For the orange syrup:
- In a microwave oven-safe glass bowl, combine the sugar and the orange juice.
Heat for 3 minutes in the microwave, mixing twice in between. - Keep aside to cool.
For the modaks:
- In a bowl, whip the butter and the sugar using an electric beater until the mixture thickens.
Beat in the yoghurt, follow by the rava, then the flour and the milk. - Pour the batter in a lightly-greased wide glass bowl and bake in an oven at 180°C for 15 minutes.
Be careful not to over-bake, as this may make it difficult to bind. - Cool a little and crumble this baked base with your fingers to a powder.
Mix in just enough orange syrup to bind it.
Be careful to not add too much syrup or the mixture will become soggy. - Shape the modaks either with your hands or use a modak mould.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Baked Apple Modaks
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients
For the stuffing:
- 1 apple, peeled, cored, finely chopped
- Few raisins
- 3 tbsp grated jaggery
- Pinch dalcheeni or cinnamon powder
- Few cashews, roughly chopped
For the dough for the covering:
- 1 cup maida or all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp ghee
- ¼ cup milk
- Water
- Few tsp milk, for assembling the modaks
- Oil, for brushing the modaks
- Baking tray or dish
Method
For the stuffing:
- In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for stuffing and mix well.
Keep aside, but not for too long or the apple will start to brown.
Therefore the modaks should be assembled soon after the stuffing is made.
For the dough for the covering:
- In a bowl, mix the sugar, ghee, milk, flour together.
Add enough water to make a stiff dough. - Rest the dough for 10 minutes, covered with a kitchen towel.
Assembly:
- Divide the dough into 1½ inch-diameter balls and on a flat surface roll each ball into a thin disc or round of 2 to 3 inches.
Place a portion, about 1 heaping tsp, of the apple stuffing on each disc.
Brush the edges of the disc with milk, using a pastry brush.
Bring the edges together to form a modak (please see pic above) and repeat for the rest and arrange the modaks on a plate/tray or in a baking dish. - Brush the exterior of the modaks with a little oil using a pastry brush.
Preheat an oven to 180°C for 5 minutes.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. - Serve warm.
Recipes and pictures: Kind courtesy Godrej Appliances
