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Fried Modak's arranged in tower on a plate, one placed on side with lamp light

Fried Modak Recipe

Shweta Arora
Fried Modak or Talniche Modak are sweet dumplings made during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in India. These crunchy sweets are made with all-purpose and whole wheat flour with a delicious filling of jaggery and coconut. These can be deep-fried, air-fried, or even baked.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine Indian
Servings 22 small modak
Calories 91 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Filling:

  • 1 cup grated coconut fresh or frozen or desiccated, I've used frozen
  • 1 cup grated jaggery gur or ½-3/4 cup of sugar
  • ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
  • pinch saffron optional
  • 10-12 cashews coarsely chopped, optional

For the covering (dough)

  • 1 cup flour (120 grams wheat flour /maida or mix of both) see notes
  • 1 tablespoon ghee clarified butter - hot
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon oil plus more for deep frying
  • water as required to make dough

Instructions
 

Make Stuffing:

  • Heat a pan on medium flame and 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.

Make 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 ¼ cup) knead into a smooth but tight dough. A soft dough will absorb more oil while frying.
  • Sprinkle some oil and knead the dough again. Coat it with little oil and cover with a cloth or plastic wrap and allow to rest for 15 mins.

To make Fried Modak:

  • 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.
  • Similarly, divide the filling into 22 same portions.
  • Grease the rolling pin and roll it into a thin circle. Approximately 3-inch circle.
  • Take 1 portion of the filling and place it in the center of the circle. Apply very little 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 and keep the prepared modak on it. Parchment paper prevents the modak from sticking. 
  • Keep modak 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 Modak:

  • Once you are done making all the Modak, heat oil on medium-high heat for deep frying.
  • When the oil 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 and drain on absorbent paper. Continue frying all the remaining modaks.
  • Delicious Fried Modak are ready!! Offer them as Prasad to Lord Ganesha and then enjoy them with your meal as dessert or snack.

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°F for 10-12mins or unit golden brown. May vary as per the air fryer model.

Video

Notes

For the outer covering: Use all-purpose flour, wheat flour, or a combination of both to make a modak covering. I find a 1:2 ratio of the flour yields the best results. I have tried (40 grams of all-purpose flour/maida, and 80 grams of whole wheat flour/atta) or you can do it the other way (40 grams of wheat flour and 80 grams of maida). 
Whole wheat flour covering: covering made with only Whole wheat flour will be denser and darker when fried compared to all-purpose flour.
For Crispy flaky outer crust: Add hot ghee to the flour while mixing, it makes the covering nice, flaky, and crispy.
Knead a stiff dough: stiff dough prevents the modaks from absorbing too much oil while frying.
Roll dough thin: since a thick dough will result in a denser and hard crust.
Avoid overcooking the stuffing: overcooking the jaggery coconut filling will make it hard. 
Stuffing color: Depending on the color of the jaggery, the color of the saran (filling) will vary. Dark jaggery will result in a darker saran.
Nuts are optional: adding nuts to the filling is optional but highly recommended as it adds a nice crunch.
Seal the modaks well: Even a small opening in the modak can drain the filling while frying making the oil
Cooking methods: You can also bake or air fry this fried modak if you are conscious of deep-frying them.
Storing Fried Modak: Allow the modaks to cool completely and then store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Consume hint 3-5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 91kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 28mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg
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