Fried Modak are sweet dumplings made during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in India. These crunchy sweets can be deep-fried, baked, or air-fried and are made with flour and a delicious filling of jaggery, coconut, and cardamom powder.
Fried Modak also is known as Talniche Modak in Marathi is my absolute favorite and I look forward to them every year during Vinayaka Chaturthi.
My kids know this is Ganpati Bappa's favorite food and claim to be theirs too!!
Another variety of modak which we love is Kesar Mawa Modak Peda.
What is Modak
Modak is a popular Maharashtrian sweet made during the Ganesh Chaturthi Festival as an offering to Lord Ganesha.
Think of these like sweet stuffed dumplings and are believed to be Ganesha's favorite food.
There are two types of Modak, fried and steamed also known as Ukadiche modak. In both varieties, they are stuffed with a sweet filling made of coconut, jaggery, and cardamom.
Steamed are usually made with a covering of rice flour & fried ones with all-purpose flour or wheat flour.
In this post, I'm sharing how to make Fried modak recipe.
This modak is
- extremely delicious
- crunchy on the outside
- sweet and coconutty on the inside
- can be deep-fried (traditional way), air-fried, or even baked.
- easier to make
- has more shelf life compared to the steamed ones
If you are making modak for the first time, I would highly recommend trying the Fried Modak recipe first.
I find, steamed modak requires more practice & patience to get the correct shape (unless you use molds) compared to this easily mold-able dough modak.
Modak recipe may look really intimidating to make but is really not. Here is a full-proof way with all the tips and tricks to make fried modak at home.
Ingredients
- For the Filling - Coconut (fresh or frozen or desiccated), jaggery, cardamom powder, cashews, and saffron (optional).
- For the Cover - Flour (all-purpose, wheat flour or both), salt, ghee, and oil.
Step by Step Instructions
To make the filling
1 - Heat a pan on medium flame & dry roast the coconut for 5 mins to dry out the moisture if any. I've used frozen, thawed coconut. Fresh coconut can be used too.
2 - Add the grated jaggery, mix till it's melted and well combined with the coconut.
3- Stir in the cardamom powder, saffron and cashew pieces (optional).
4 - Keep stirring continuously (approximately 2 mins) until the mixture is almost dry. Turn off the heat and keep aside. Don't overcook the jaggery coconut filling else it will turn hard.
Allow this coconut jaggery mixture (also known as saran) to cool completely before filling.
To make the dough
1 - Take the wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and salt into a bowl. Give it a quick mix.
2 to 4 - Add hot ghee to it and mix well with a spoon. The mixture will be crumbly and soft.
9 - Using water as required (used approximately 1/4 cup or less) knead into a smooth but tight dough. A soft dough will absorb more oil while frying.
10 - Sprinkle some oil & knead the dough. Coat it with little oil and cover with a cloth or plastic wrap. Let it rest for 15 mins.
11 and 12 - Once the dough has rested, knead it one more time and divide it into equal portions. I divided the dough into 22 balls.
It is usually recommended to make 11 or 21 modaks and 1 karanji. I made 21 small (bite-size) modaks and 1 karanji.
Keep the dough balls covered with wet cloth to prevent them from drying.
To make modak
13 - Divide the filling too into 22 portions roughly.
14 - Using a rolling pin, roll into a paper-thin circle (thinner the better). Approximately 3-inch circle.
15 - Take 1 portion of the filling & place it in the center of the circle. Apply a very little layer of water around the edges.
16 - Using a pinch action, pinch the dough edges from 5-7 or more sides as shown.
17 and 18 - Pull all the pinched edges together into a peak. Take off the excess dough & seal firmly.
If not sealed properly, the modak will split open while frying and cause the filling to spill out in oil.
Line a dish or tray with parchment paper & keep this modak on it to prevent the bottom of the modak from sticking.
Keep them covered with a wet cloth at all times to prevent them from drying.
Continue making the remaining modak in a similar manner.
19 and 20 - Optional - Make a karanji out of the last ball. Roll into a circle, add the filling, and close to make a semi-circle. Seal the edges either using a fork or using the pinch and tuck method.
Here is a video on how I shape my Modak's. Hope this helps 🙂
To Fry Modak
21 and 22 - Once you are done making all the Modak, heat oil on medium-high heat for deep frying.
Once the oil is sufficiently hot, turn the heat down to medium. Test by dropping a small dough ball into the oil. It should sizzle back to the top and turn golden which means our oil is ready.
Add the 4-5 modak to the oil (or as many as your pan can hold without overcrowding). Keep stirring gently intermittently to help them brown evenly.
23 - Once they turn golden remove & drain on absorbent paper. Keep frying all the remaining modaks.
24 - Cool them completely & store in airtight container. Consume within 3-4 days. Serve them with your meal or as dessert or snack.
You can also bake or air fry modak. Please see the recipe card below for instructions.
Tips, Tricks and Hacks
- Use all-purpose flour, wheat flour, or a combination of both to make modak covering.
- Covering made with Whole wheat flour will be denser and darker when fried compared to all-purpose flour.
- I find a 1:2 ratio of whole wheat to all-purpose flour yields the best results.
- Add hot ghee to the flour while mixing, it makes the covering nice, flaky and crispy.
- Knead the dough stiff to prevent the modaks from soaking too much oil while frying.
- Roll the dough really thin especially sides, like paper. A thick dough will result in a denser and hard crust.
- Don't overcook the jaggery coconut filling else it will turn hard.
- Depending on the color of jaggery, the color of saran (filling) will vary. Dark jaggery will result in dark saran.
- Adding some nuts to the filling is optional but highly recommend as it adds to the crunch.
- Seal the modaks well. Even a small opening can drain the filling while frying.
- Bake or air fry modak if you are conscious of deep-frying them.
Frequently asked question
Fried modak can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Yes, the filling can be made using desiccated coconut. Just add a tablespoon or two water to bring in some moisture.
A soft dough will result in a soft outer cover. For crispy covering, knead the dough tight/stiff and add hot ghee to the dough while kneading.
Overcooking the filling will make it hard. Cook it just till the mixture is dry with still a little moisture left to prevent it from turning hard.
Sweet Recipes for Ganesh Chaturthi
Savory Recipes for Ganesh Chaturthi
Hope you enjoy this Fried Modak Recipe!! If you give this recipe a try, please rate by clicking stars ⭐️ in the recipe card. Thank you ❤️ ! You can also follow me on Facebook | Instagram to see what’s cooking in my kitchen\
Fried Modak Recipe
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 1 cup grated coconut fresh or frozen or desiccated, I've used frozen
- 1 cup grated jaggery gur or 1/2-3/4 cup of sugar
- ½ tsp cardamom powder
- pinch saffron optional
- 10-12 cashews coarsely chopped, optional
For the covering (dough)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour maida
- ¼ cup wheat flour atta
- 1 tbsp ghee clarified butter - hot
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp oil plus more for deep frying
- water as required to make dough
Instructions
To make the filling:
- Heat a pan on medium flame & dry roast the coconut for 5 mins to dry out the moisture if any. I've used frozen, thawed coconut. Fresh coconut can be used too.
- Add the grated jaggery, mix till it's melted and well combined with the coconut.
- Stir in the cardamom powder, saffron and cashew pieces (optional).
- Keep stirring continuously (approximately 2 mins) until the mixture is almost dry. Don't overcook the jaggery coconut filling else it will turn hard. Turn off the heat and keep aside.
- Allow this coconut jaggery mixture (also known as saran) to cool completely before filling.
To make the covering:
- Take the wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and salt into a bowl. Mix well. To this add hot ghee and mix well with a spoon. The mixture will be crumbly and soft.
- Using water as required (used approximately 1/4 cup) knead into a smooth but tight dough. A soft dough will absorb more oil while frying.
- Sprinkle some oil & knead the dough again. Coat it with little oil and cover with a cloth or plastic wrap & allow to rest for 15 mins.
- Once the dough has rested, knead it one more time and divide it into equal portions. I divided the dough into 22 balls for making 21 small (bite-size) modaks and 1 karanji.
- Keep the dough balls covered with a wet cloth to prevent them from drying.
To make Modak
- Divide the filling into same portion as balls (i.e. 22).
- Using a rolling pin, roll into a paper-thin circle (the thinner the better). Approximately 3-inch circle.
- Take 1 portion of the filling & place it in the center of the circle. Apply a very little layer of water around the edges.
- Pull all the pinched edges together into a peak. Pinch off the excess dough and seal firmly.
- Line a dish or tray with parchment paper & keep this modak on it to prevent the bottom of the modak from sticking.
- Keep them covered with a wet cloth at all times to prevent them from drying. Continue making the remaining modak in a similar manner.
- Optional - Make a karanji out of the last ball. Roll into a circle, add the filling, and close to make a semi-circle. Seal the edges either using a fork or using the pinch and tuck method.
- Traditionally these modak are deep fried. But you can bake or even air fry these.
To Deep Fry the Modak:
- Once you are done making all the Modak, heat oil on medium-high heat for deep frying.
- When the oil sufficiently hot, turn the heat down to medium. Test by dropping a small dough ball into the oil. It should sizzle back to the top and turn golden which means our oil is ready.
- Add the 4-5 modak to the oil (or as many as your pan can hold without overcrowding). Keep stirring gently to help them brown evenly.
- Once they turn golden remove & drain on absorbent paper. Continue frying all the remaining modaks.
To Bake modak :
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Spray some cooking oil onto the modak and line them in a single layer.
- Bake for 20-30 mins or until golden brown. For that perfectly golden modak, crank up the oven to 425 after 20 mins and bake the modak till golden about 5-7 mins.
To Air fry modak :
- Spray some cooking oil onto the modak and line them in a single layer without overcrowding.
- Bake at 370 for 10-12mins or unit golden brown. May vary as per the air fryer model.
Storing Fried Modak
- Allow the modaks to cool completely and then store in an airtight container at room temperature. Consume hint 3-5 days.
- Serve with the main meal or as a snack or dessert!!
Notes
- Modak covering can be made with all-purpose flour, wheat flour, or a combination of both.
- Whole wheat flour covering will be denser and darker when fried compared to all-purpose flour
- I find a 1:2 ratio of whole wheat to all-purpose flour yields great results.
- Add hot ghee to the flour while mixing, it makes the covering nice, flaky and crispy.
- Knead the dough stiff to prevent the modaks from soaking too much oil while frying.
- Roll the dough really thin especially sides, like paper and not too thick or else the crust will be hard.
- Fresh, frozen, or desiccated coconut can be used for filling.
- If using desiccated coconut add 1-2 tablespoon of water to bring in the moisture.
- Don't overcook the jaggery coconut filling else it will turn hard.
- Depending on the color of jaggery, the color of saran (filling) will vary. Dark jaggery will result in dark saran.
- Adding some nuts to the filling is optional but highly recommend as it adds to the crunch.
- Seal the modaks well. Even a small opening can drain the filling while frying.
- Bake or air fry modak if you are conscious of deep-frying them.
Cute & delicious snack!!
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http://hyderabadicuisinerecipes-angel.blogspot.com
wow so lovely modak...
VIRUNTHU UNNA VAANGA
Tempting and delicious modaks..
Divya's Culinary Journey
Very crisp and delicious modak.
wow..tht looks really crispy & tasty!!!
Delicious modaks..nice one..
Shabbu's Tasty Kitchen
yummy and delicious modak.
Mystyle of Recipes
i liked fried one 🙂
these modak's looks great
super modak
yummy Modak.. nice presentation
Great-secret-of-life.blogspot.com
Super cute and beautiful looking fried modaks, simply drooling here.
Really looking awesome Shweta... Presentaion is mindblowing.
Delicious modak.....Happy vinayagar chaturti....