Modak (Sweet Steamed Rice Dumplings)
Ingredients:
For the Cover :
1 cup rice flour
1 tsp. ghee
1 cup water
1/2 tsp oil
a pinch of salt
For the Filling :
2 cups shredded fresh coconut
1/2 tsp. cardamom powder
1 tsp. roasted poppy seeds
1 tsp. rice flour
1 cup jaggery (Gur) or Sugar
Preparation:
For the Filling :
To make the filling, combine and cook coconut and jaggery together on medium heat. Stir continuously until they are mixed properly. Do not overcook.
Add cardamom powder, roasted poppy seeds and 1 teaspoon rice flour to it. and cook for some time. The filling is ready now. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool.
For the Cover :
Boil 1 cup of water. When it has reached a steady boil, add ghee, salt and oil.
Now immediately add the rice flour and stir quickly so as to remove all lumps. Cover with a lid for some time. Remove the lid & stir again & again, cover again. Note : This has to be done very carefully.The dough should be neither too sticky nor too dry.
Now remove pan from the heat. Take off all the mixture on a flat plate. Knead it thoroughly while hot. Make a soft dough.
Divide this dough into small balls.
To make the modaks
1. Note :It is best to make the modaks when the dough is slightly warm.
Ingredients:
For the Cover :
1 cup rice flour
1 tsp. ghee
1 cup water
1/2 tsp oil
a pinch of salt
For the Filling :
2 cups shredded fresh coconut
1/2 tsp. cardamom powder
1 tsp. roasted poppy seeds
1 tsp. rice flour
1 cup jaggery (Gur) or Sugar
Preparation:
For the Filling :
To make the filling, combine and cook coconut and jaggery together on medium heat. Stir continuously until they are mixed properly. Do not overcook.
Add cardamom powder, roasted poppy seeds and 1 teaspoon rice flour to it. and cook for some time. The filling is ready now. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool.
For the Cover :
Boil 1 cup of water. When it has reached a steady boil, add ghee, salt and oil.
Now immediately add the rice flour and stir quickly so as to remove all lumps. Cover with a lid for some time. Remove the lid & stir again & again, cover again. Note : This has to be done very carefully.The dough should be neither too sticky nor too dry.
Now remove pan from the heat. Take off all the mixture on a flat plate. Knead it thoroughly while hot. Make a soft dough.
Divide this dough into small balls.
To make the modaks
1. Note :It is best to make the modaks when the dough is slightly warm.
2. Grease the palms of your hands well. Take a ball of dough. Flatten the dough to form a cup shape. Place about 3/4th teaspoon coconut filling into this cup. Dip thumb & index finger in the oil & make 5-6 small pinches side by side on the outside edges of the cup. Bring them together on top and join to form a peak. Your modak is complete. This should look like a whole garlic pod.
3. Like this, prepare all modaks. Spread a damp cloth onto a flat round sifter and arrange all the modaks onto it. Place the sifter in a steamer and cover. Steam for about 15 minutes. Use a big size saucepan or pressure cooker if you don't have a steamer. Do not put the whistle if you use the pressure cooker.
4. Serve with ghee.
Cook's Tip :
Prepare the filling first.
The proportion of water and rice flour for the cover should be accurate as written above. It is advisable to sieve the flour once.
