How to make Fried Modak, Easy Modak Recipe

Fried Modak is a Maharashtrian delicacy prepared as an offering to Lord Ganesh during Ganesh Chaturthi/ Vinayak Chaturthi and/ or Sankashti. It is easy to prepare as compared to Steamed Wheat Modak or Ukdiche Modak. I always wanted to try making the fried Modak since I used to enjoy them during Ganpati festival at my friend’s place as a child.

I have used sugar in this Fried Modak recipe instead of jaggery and it tastes great. Also, I have used 50:50 proportion of wheat flour and refined flour/ maida to make the modaks crispy, but if you don’t want to use the refined flour you can make them with only wheat flour as well.

These modaks are rich in carbohydrates, essential fats, dietary fibre, Vitamin E, B1, B3, B5, B6 and minerals like Iron, Calcium, Magnesium, Selenium to name a few.  Thus, this favourite food of Lord Ganesh is not only yummy but highly nutritious and full of energy.

Ingredients for Fried Modak :

Step by step instructions:

For the stuffing:

1. Heat a pan and add freshly grated coconut, sugar and mawa. If you do not have mawa, you can use cream.
2. Saute for3-4 minutes on a low flame.
3. Add dry fruits and saute for one more minute.
4. You will notice that the mixture is starting to become dry. Don’t make it too dry. Switch off the gas flame.
5. Add cardamom powder and mix well.
6. Take out the mixture in a plate and let it cool down.

For the outer cover of the modak:

1. Take 1 cup wheat flour, 1 cup refined flour and salt in a plate and mix well. We will keep the remaining ¼ cup refined flour aside to roll the pooris for modaks.
2. Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a tadka pan and pour it over the flour while it is still hot.
3. Mix ghee into the flour first with the help of a spoon and later with the hand once the ghee cools down.
4. Start kneading firm dough by adding water little by little. I required 3/4^th cup water to knead the dough.
5. Once ready, cover the dough for just 5 minutes and knead again.
6. Soft dough will be ready.

For preparing Fried Modak :

1. Make small dough balls (like the ones required for pooris) out of the dough.
2. Cover the dough balls with a cotton cloth and start rolling the pooris by using a pinch or two of the refined flour that we had kept aside earlier.
3. Apply little pressure on the outside part while rolling the pooris and keep the centre slightly thicker. This way the modaks will not burst open while stuffing or frying them. Also the top pointed part of the modak will not be very thick and get fried easily since we have made sure that the outer part of the pooris is thin.
4. After rolling the pooris, start making the modaks.
5. Take a poori on the palm. Keep a spoonful of stuffing in the middle of the poori. With your fingers, make the stuffing round in shape from all sides.
6. Start pinching the edges of the pooris to make pleats as shown in the video. If you have difficulty in making the pleats use a drop of water and apply on the edges of the poori so that the flour will be little sticky and pleats will be easily formed.
7. Start bringing together the pleats and join them at the top making a pointed shape.
8. Modak is ready. Now make the other modaks in a similar manner.
9. While making the modaks, keep the pooris and other modaks covered so that they do not dry.
10. After you are half-way through while making modaks, add ghee to a frying pan/ kadhai and start heating on a low flame. You may use oil for frying the modaks but I have used ghee because not only does it have a high smoking point but also numerous health benefits. It also adds to the taste of modaks. India’s celebrity nutritionist Ms. Rujuta Diwekar has mentioned Ghee as one of the superfoods in her book Indian Super Foods. This book has a simple language and clears so many misconceptions that we have about the goodness of Ghee and many other Indian foods that have been consumed by our ancestors for a healthy life. To buy this book on amazon.in, please click on the link at the end of this blogpost (just before the video).
11. Once the modaks are ready and the ghee is hot start frying them by adding a few at a time. Make sure the ghee is not very hot or else the modaks will get burnt from outside and won’t get cooked properly. Fry on a low or medium gas flame till the modaks turn golden brown.
12. Fried Modak taste best when served hot or warm but taste good even at room temperature. You can also store them in an airtight container for 2-3 days and save yourself the hassle of making them again and again during Ganpati festival.

If you are looking for other recipes for Ganesh Chaturthi do check out Steamed Wheat Modak, Churma Ladoo, Puran Poli, Katachi Amti and Batata Bhaji.

I hope you liked this recipe. Do share your feedback in the comments section below.

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WATCH FRIED MODAK RECIPE VIDEO HERE: