Modak (sweet Indian dumpling) is lord Ganesha’s favorite sweet and this festival will be incomplete without offering this to him. Back at home in India, mom and aaji would make either Fried or ukadiche (steamed) modak on this occasion and so I simply follow this tradition. But for this year’s Ganesh Chaturthi I thought of making these easy yet declious Kesar Mawa Modak’s instead.
If you have lived or been to Mumbai and visited SiddhiVinayak Temple, you know this sweet shaped as modak is one of the offering deities usually take for lord Ganesha along with flowers and others. Visit to SiddhiVinayak is incomplete without these tiny yellow dumplings.
Recreating this sweet at home was a breeze. You really need only 5 ingredients. Mawa (milk solids), sugar, cardamom powder, kesar (saffron) and milk. If you want the typical yellow color, you can use the food color and skip kesar and milk. I’ve used the modak moulds which are easily available in India. But if you dont have those, no worries. Simply shape your sweet round or shape you like.
- 2 cups grated khoya/mava (using store bought)
- ½ cup sugar (adjust to taste)
- ¼ tsp cardamom powder
- 1 tbsp milk
- pinch of saffron
- Ghee/oil as required to grease the moulds
- Heat the milk in microwave for about 10-15 seconds and then add pinch of saffron strands to it. Mix and you will see the milk turn yellow because of saffron infusing it color. Keep it aside.
- In a thick bottom pan, start heat to medium and add the grated mawa and sugar to the pan.
- Keep mixing the mixture, the sugar will melt and the mixture will become paste like.
- At this point add the milk and saffron mixture and mix well.
- Keep stirring for another 5 mins or so until the mixture comes together like a dough not sticking to the pan anymore and oozing some fat.
- Remove on the plate and let it cool to luke warm. May take from 30-45 mins.
- Grease the moulds using ghee and add the mawa dough mixture to it. Press and remove excess dough. gently open it and modaks will be ready.
- Place them on a clean plate and keep repeating until you done with all the dough
- These can be stored air tight for upto week or so.
If you don't have saffron, use yellow food color and skip the milk and kesar from recipe
That’s it, our easy delicious Kesar Mawa Modak are ready! Offer these to Lord Ganesha and seek his blessings. Enjoy!!
Happy Cooking!
Shweta
are milk solids the same as powdered milk? if not, what are milk solids and with wich other name cpuld i find them?
Hi Gabriela, Khoya/mawa is mostly available in frozen isle of most asian/Indian grocery stores mostly near where Paneer is kept. You can also make your own with milk powder. Here’s how – boil half cup of milk and 1 tbsp ghee and add it to a bowl with 2 cups of full fat milk powder. Mix to get a granular consistency. You can shape it and let it set then grate or directly use it for this recipe. Hope this helps!!